file in process...

JYF 138N: London C.C., 1975

The Industry has also been involved in many demonstration trials of EVs, starting in the 1970s with over 60 prototype Enfield 'model 8000' electric cars.

The Greek owned Enfield company branched into low-volume car manufacturing in 1969. The Enfield company had already established itself as a producer of firearms and speed boats and decided to launch a small electric city car, the 8000.

Despite disappointing sales of the electric 8000 which ended in 1971, Enfield experimented with another car, the Safari, in 1972. Alas the model never reached full-scale production and Enfield ceased car production in 1972.

Over a 120 Enfields were built in the early 1970s, mostly for the UK Electricity Council area boards. Responsibility for the original ground-up design is claimed by sir John Samuel. It was born and bred in Wimbledon in 1968. There was a big auction sale in the early eighties at the end of the EC test programme and most of the cars ended up in private collectors' hands.

There are several still running round in the UK. Dr. David Potter at the Electricity Association is a leading authority on the car, having commuted from home to Basingstoke station for many years. Don Gribble was a great Enfield supporter for a good few years and could probably dig up plenty of history on the cars.

Enfield 465

The Enfield 465 was a small electric car claiming a range of 60 km and a maximum speed of 60 km/h. It was powered by a 4.65-hp motor from a 48-volt lead-acid battery pack. The enclosed body was made of fibreglass and had sliding doors. While prototypes were produced, this particular vehicle does not appear to have seen significant production.

Enfield 8000

The Enfield 8000 was designed from the ground-up to be an electric car. It was produced by Enfield Automotive of London (England) in the mid-1960s. These were 2-door, 4-seater cars with a reported range of 39 to 90 km per charge (depending on driving conditions) and a maximum speed of 64 km/h. The curb weight of the vehicle was 975 kg. It used a tubular steel chassis/frame and aluminum body panels. The motor was connected to a single-speed differential. Reversing the car was accomplished by reversing the drive motor by means of a forward/reverse electric switch on the dashboard. An on-board charger charged both the traction batteries and the accessory battery from any 240-volt, 13-amp outlet (common in Europe). Approximately 70 were purchased by the Electricity Council (England) in 1966 and supplied to electric utilities in England and Wales to demonstrate the practicality of electric cars. Early versions were fitted with 8 x 12-volt traction batteries and a single 12-volt accessory battery. The traction batteries were set up in parallel pairs, with the pairs connected in series to provide 48 volts. Problems with unequal charging and discharging of the parallel pairs resulted in the use of 8 x 6-volt batteries wired as a single series string (still producing 48 volts) being used in later versions of the car. The basic vehicles used a combination of battery switching (12, 24 and 48 volt settings) and field control on the motor to provide speed control. All batteries were in the circuit in all power configurations (to even the discharge).

Electric City Car (prod.: 101 or 103?, 1973-1976 or 1969-1971?)

The Enfield 8000 Electric City Car was built on the Isle of Wight from 1973 to 1976. It was 8 inches shorter than a Mini, had a maximum speed of 37mph and would travel 40 miles on a single charge. Only 100 of these were built.

Coupé, 2 doors, 2 seats, Lead-acid battery, average speed 15,2 km/h.

Then there was the Enfield 8000 which came out in the mid-1970s. It was wonderful, but its batteries weighed a ton, it would only go 40mph and only for 30 miles.

This battery powered car uses a 10 kW d.c. 'Lynch' motor

Controlled by a d.c.chopper in conjunction with a manual 4-speed and reverse gearbox

Six lead acid batteries rated at 165 Ah are used ( 3 in the front and 3 in the back).

The body shell is that of the original 'Enfield' electric car and is made from aluminium.

The car is a two seater and has a range of 35 miles with a maximum speed of 50 mph.

Re-charging using overnight rate electricity costs just a few pence.

A student project is underway to convert the manual gearbox to 'auto select' using a stepper motor and an on board micro-controller.

Car type: Enfield - 'Sugarlump'

Owner: Alan and Honor Ward

Manufacturer: Enfield

Motor: 72 volt DC series wound

Control system: Dual high frequency pulse width modulation straight traction

Batteries: Flooded lead acid 220 Ah

Transmission: single speed driving rear wheels

Running gear: Reliant back axle

Suspension: Independent Coil over shocks all round with Macpherson strut front

Chassis: Tubular steel galvanised construction peripheral type

Body: Non-stressed aluminium panels

Number of seats: 2

Acceleration to 30 mph: around 9 seconds

Top speed: over 40 mph

Travel range: up to 35 miles

Area of country: Southwest England



Comments: Alan and Honor Ward's Enfield gained the name 'Sugarlump' due to its white colour and cubic dimensions. The car has been upgraded from the original 48 volt drive system to 72 volts with additional batteries and the substitution of retactor speed controls by a high frequency pulse width modulation controller. Alan and Honor and 'Sugarlump' have featured on BBC's Top Gear television programme as well as other TV news slots. The Enfield was Britain's first electric production car. Originally conceived for use by electricity board meter readers the car never really sold. A run of around 200 were built and many including 'Sugarlump' still survive.

Original 48 Volt, series/parallel switching control system. This gives eight stage control with field weakening and is remarkably efficient.

A drag coefficient as low as 0.28 was achieved in the Imperial College wind tunnel in 1968. There are only a handful of production cars today that have bettered this figure.

Running on 72 volts,Good condition through out.Good traction battery+charger

£1000

Sat 2nd Jun 2001

Contact: Kevin Lee Smith - kev-smith@blueyonder.co.uk

Twelve Electric Hours - Oxford, 29-30 September 1995

1997 LLanishen show



Début 1974, la voiture Enfield 8000 était produite en Grèce ce qui constituait un autre véhicule électrique. Cependant jusqu'en 1974 l'économie n'avait pas eu d'incidences sur le développement du moteur et de la voiture électrique. Pourtant en 1974 la crise pétrolière influencera avantageusement le progrès dans le dossier de la voiture électrique. Plusieurs techniques sont utilisées pour fabriquer la voiture électrique mais nous les observerons plus ardemment dans le prochain point traitant des inventions. La crise pétrolière se rétablit en vers le début des années 80 il y a désintéressement de la voiture électrique.

The company GENERAL GULF ELECTRIC will emerge even in 1971 with a prototype of electric vehicle. At the beginning of 1974, the car Enfield 8000 was produced in Greece what constituted another electric vehicle. However until 1974 the economy had not affected the development of the engine and the electric car. However in 1974 the oil crisis will advantageously influence progress in the file of the electric car. Several techniques are used to manufacture the electric car but will more ardently observe we them in the next treating point of the inventions. The oil crisis is restored in worms the beginning of the Eighties there is satisfying of the electric car. Until the moment when the State of California is interfered... We are there thus, in the Nineties and this one could be well the years of glory of the electric car!"

La compagnie GULF GENERAL ELECTRIC présenta début 1974, la voiture Enfield 8000, produite en Grèce, qui constituait un nouvelle approche industrielle du véhicule électrique. Cependant, l'économie n'avait pas eu d'incidences sur le développement de la voiture électrique et c'est la crise pétrolière de 1974 qui donnera l'impulsion nécessaire au véritable développement du dossier de la voiture électrique. Les considérations écologiques et la raréfication des réserves de pétroles ont depuis, fait le reste et la voiture électrique, sera, grâce à l'utilisation de la pile à combustible, sans doute le moyen de locomotion des décennies à venir.

The company GENERAL GULF ELECTRIC presented at the beginning of 1974, the car Enfield 8000, produced in Greece, which constituted a new industrial approach of the electric vehicle. However, the economy had not affected the development of the electric car and it is the oil crisis of 1974 which will give the impulse necessary to the true development of the file of the electric car. The ecological considerations and the rarefication of the crude oil reserves have since, make the remainder and the electric car, will be, thanks to the use of, undoubtedly the means of transport fuel cell of the decades to come.

'Batteries International': The executors of the will of the late Mike Cornwell of Kemptown Brighton had two electric Enfields for sale, end of 1999. Mr. Cornwell owned the vehicles for some 15 years and regularly used the Enfields for local trips. One Enfield was still operational, the other had no batteries.

There is an Enfield 8000 in Vancouver BC which is the property of the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association (VEVA), which was previously owned by BC Hydro. This vehicle was subsequently provided to an individual as a testbed for work on continuously variable transmissions. Another was reported in private hands in Toronto ON in 1979.

Vancouver, British Columbia: 1975 Enfield 8000 (Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association/BG)

Bill Glazier is working on a continuously variable transmission which is being mounted in an Enfield electric car in British Columbia.

B.C. Hydro purchased two Enfield electric cars in 1974. All were later sold off.

enfield electric cars

Royal Enfield