ELECTRIC MOTOR LORRY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2007, 14 March 1914, Page 6

ELECTRIC MOTOR LORRY.

ITS TRIAL HERE. Yesterday afternoon members of thft Wellington Tramways -'•Board ■; witnessed the trial of a rathir.j-emarkablo style of motor lorry, "ttiffrnr'str.of its' kind 'in : New Zealand. This is the TillingStevens petrol electric lorry,. which develops 40 horse-power, and is capable of carrying a three-ton' load. Tho petrol-driven engine, located in the ordinary-position oi tho motor engine, drives a- dynamo situated beneath' tho floor ofCtho lorry, an,that drives a motor which acts directly on tho differ, crctials of the baclc axle. Tlio points in favour'of tho new idea are- that as it is impossible to, put oil' speed,suddenly the chaSsi3 is said vto have- a" much longer life- than tho ordinary 'motorlorry, aiid, for tho'-same reason, ,the wear rubber tyres is appreciably loss. Tjjero is no chance of tho gear box being:-stripped —a fairly •■ common occurrence, wifcii the motor lorry—for tho simtilo! reason that there is'no'gear, ■box. The.engine may be sot in motion •without any electric power being, generated, only oegins with the maniV a pedal lover (worked with tho rightfpot). This throws tho dynamo into action. As sooii as tho foot is raised from tho pedal the dynamo stops and pulls, the lorry ,up.' It is-all.very simple. "There are no gears.'lf additional'power is .needed to climb tho hills, the , rosistanco is removed by a left foot lever, full pressure is applied to tho right, arid the necessary■ "speeding up" is attained. The lorry mndo no complaint in olimlilne;': the Koseneath Road and lip {Tie hill.to Hataitai yesterday afternoon, and generally tho working of the now style of vehicle gave every satisfaction. It is_ understood, however, •tlint the chassis cosTs about £200 more than an ordinary motor chassis.

At present the Tramway Board are crmsic'-eruiJ; tenders for the" supply to the corporation of tlireo lorries. No (Vciv-on,' however, has yot been arrived at. -'■ .