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 |
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