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1953 B. M. A. Hazelcar

Electric cars did not have the impact in England that they had in other gas-starved countries such as France during and after the war. The Hazelcar, named after R.E. Hazeldine of Hazeldine Motors, was a rare but serious attempt to change the course of things.

In 1952 the English company Gates & Hazeldine in Hove financed this project of the Battery Manufacturing Association (BMA) in Hove to manufacture an electric vehicle.

The bodyshell was a pleasing roadster style with doors (missing on this example), which was fabricated in aluminum. Power was by a specially designed 1 _ or 2 hp electric motor fed by nine six-volt batteries stowed under the bonnet at the front. Drive was via a double-reduction chain drive from a four-speed gearbox and a switch-operated reverse.

Speeds up to 20mph and a range of up to 60 miles were quoted, but as with many electric vehicles, actual figures varied, being severely compromised by load and road gradients.

At £535 it was too expensive to have any impact.

A van version was also offered, but six cars were only ever built, the last one powered by a Ford Eight (the British four-cylinder, not V-8) gas motor.

Manufacturer: Gates and Hazeldine, Hove, Sussex England

Model: B. M. A. Hazelcar Motor: Electric Body: Aluminum
Years Built: 1952 - 1954 No. Cylinders: None Chassis: Steel Tube
No. Produced: 6 Displacement: None Suspension Front: Coil
No. Surviving: 1 Horsepower: 1.5 Suspension Rear: Coil
Length: 2.8 m Gearbox: Electric, 4 + rev Steering: Rack & Pinion
Width: 1.31 m Starter: None Brakes: Hydraulic
Weight: Electrics: 40 v 4 Wheels: 4.00 x 8"
Interior: 2 Seats Ignition: None Top Speed: 40 kph

© 2002