Enfield Electric - Talk to me...!!!

[grifterkid]

I fancy some retro eco-transport and what could be cooler or more appropriate than an Enfield 8000...



I have liked the look of these for some time and now I'd like to find out a little bit more!!!

Are these easy to find...?! I know there weren't many made...

Are these easy to run...?! I know the technology is a bit on the 'classic' side...

I'd really like one of these, I really would...

Any info' or inspiration you can provide would be great...

Thanks a million to you all in advance...

[tdk]

Isn't this the same machine that Jonny Smith (who also posts here, IIRC) is converting to some daft monster EV drag racer called Flux Capacitor?

[grifterkid]

^^ That does seem to be the same machine...

I'm looking to try and find one and keep it as it was intended though... I wonder if this is still possible seeing as the technology involved is really rather quite old?!

I'm intrigued...

[joostvdw]

I think it would be great as a city vehicle, but I would strip out all the electrics, especially the batteries and power control module. There have been significant improvements in these systems that would allow you to have dramatically improved range, speed, recharge speed and drive ability.

[skrapz]

The original range on these was only around 50 miles with a top speed of around 45mph.
As above it would be good to remove the heavy lead acid batteries and go with modern Lithium Ion batteries less weight and more range.
I kind of want to do something similar with a Sinclair C5.

[waveman1500]

Since nobody else has posted the link yet, here it is: retrorides.proboards.com/thread/139048/70s-enfield-electric-hot-british?page=1



Well worth the read!
I would probably also try to make contact with the owner of the car if you are serious might have some leads on another car.
If memory serves correctly, the front windscreens are irreplaceable, so make sure you are aware of things like that!

[austinpowers]

Would it be possible to rob parts out of a G-Wiz, they pop up on EBay a lot and sale for next to nothing.

[grifterkid]

These just look so good I feel the need to have one...!!!

I love that Enfield-Rod...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not going to hope for too much as I know only 50 or so were made for assessment purposes but I will keep my eyes peeled...

[skrapz]

Old top gear snippet about them might give you a better idea of what they are like.

[waveman1500]

Wow, real life range of 25 miles! And only 41mph flat out.
I'm pretty sure a person of reasonable fitness could beat both figures on a pushbike. A 50cc scooter would definitely seem more practical.

[nigelbickle]

I worked for the Electricity Council, who commissioned these, back in the late 70's.

I got to take one home, which involved driving down the 3 landed A3 in rush hour. That wasn't nice, or fun. I was a danger, and had no chance of ever leaving the inside lane.

I returned it, using back roads, out of commuting hours.

I remember it as crude, heavy, ridiculously slow, boring- but it did feel like a new idea, albeit one that would never really get off the ground.

Perhaps modern electrics transplanted might make it fun? It wasn't then!

[skozra]

Reminds me of the Fiat 126 from a looks point of view

[MK2VR6]

That youtube link is a great find. I'd never even heard of them, but I guess the fact that only 108 were built doesn't help! Amazing that the batteries were so heavy - modern batteries in one would make hell of a difference to speed I should think. I just checked DooVla and Lue774p is still around, albeit sorned. I guess the crazy scientists are long gone.
Interesting comments from Nigel. Once again this forum excels itself with the wealth of knowledge of it's users. It sounds as though it was ahead of its time, but the supporting technology wasn't quite ready enough. There are a couple of electric Nissan Leaf taxis floating around locally. Good to see them giving the technology a go; I would have thought modern electric vehicles are perfect for around town and cheap enough to run.

[composimmonite]

Most of my journeys are round trip of under 10 miles on lanes and 30 mph limit roads. One would therefore be perfect for me

[Battles]

The comments above about pinching the running gear from a G-Wiz (or whatever) and putting it one of these are interesting, as are the comments about the difference that modern batteries would make to the original running gear.

I don't know much about electrical motors but would it be battery tech that was holding the original Enfield motor back at the time it was new or would the motor also have been a limiting factor?

I've been wondering for years when someone was going to come out with a retro-fit electric kit for modern cars, something you could throw in a scrapper with a failed engine to extend it's life or something that you could fit into a kit car.
I guess the weight of a car not originally intended to be an electric car would make it much less practical.

I know that people have done what I've said above (people on this forum, I think) but for a lot of people it would need to be available as a kit from a single supplier to take the risk out of it.

[MK2VR6]

On a different note, I'm sure I recognise a few of the parts fitted - anyone else got ideas? I'm thinking Allegro headlights, cooper s rims and avenger door handles...

Edit: The Wikipedia article makes a good read. Turns out the turning circle was comparable to a London cab, it had an on-board charger which would recharge the batteries fully if you were freewheeling down the Swiss Alps (a regular occurrence) and it had ally body panels. No wonder it cost two and a half times the price of a Mini. If it had been cheaper, maybe it would have stood a chance...

Wiki states: "It had a tubular chassis frame with aluminium body panels. It used suspension parts from the Hillman Imp, doors were adapted from the Mini and a rear axle derived from Reliant three-wheelers."

[austinpowers]

m.thelocal.de/20150331/trabbis-ecar-new-revolution

[dodgerover]

There were electric bedford cf vans as well, I think from memory a few are still in use.

[kevfromwales]

Apr 3, 2015 20:14:33 GMT dodgerover said:

There were electric bedford cf vans as well, I think from memory a few are still in use.

There's one of these in rush green truck breakers, eleccy bits intact

[dodgerover]

Apr 3, 2015 22:11:55 GMT kevfromwales said:

Apr 3, 2015 20:14:33 GMT dodgerover said:

There were electric bedford cf vans as well, I think from memory a few are still in use.

There's one of these in rush green truck breakers, eleccy bits intact

Aren't electric vehicles MOT and Tax exempt as well?