Stan Wellaway

Focus on Electric Cars as Oil Prices Rise

Check out the Case Studies page at the UK website of Smith Electric Vehicles -- where you'll see about 400 vehicles bought by a dozen fleet customers. These are in everday use. www.smithelectricvehic...

Or go to the website of their recently formed US company at sev-us.com and check out the News Room page for details of major customers lined up to buy the 7.5 ton Smith Newton delivery truck.

For the depot-based delivery fleet (such as every postal delivery service) the distance limitation of battery powered vehicles is not a problem - and this segment of the market is growing. Three UK companies and two US companies are now addressing it.

The car market is lagging behind electric vans and trucks - but these fleets will usefully trigger volume production of batteries, which in turn will help lower the cost of electric cars. It's a one way tide.