In
Britain, the Electric Berlingo is available to special order and a
number have been put into service by UK municipal operators.
The
Berlingo was, from its inception, designed with petrol, diesel, LPG and
electric power in mind. Thus the capacity of all these versions remains
the same at 3,0 m3. The 27 nicad batteries that power the Electric
Berlingo are located under the bonnet and under the rear load floor.
Payload is 500 kg.
The
Electric Berlingo is intended to suit utility, municipal and other
urban operations. With a top speed of 100 kph and 0 to 50 kph in 8,4
seconds, the Electric Berlingo has a practical range, depending on
operating conditions, of up to 100 km.
Powered
by a Leroy Somer 28kW DC motor, the Electric Berlingo features a
regeneration system which comes into effect when the throttle is
released; the electric motor then acts like a generator to recharge the
batteries and to provide engine braking.
All
the driver convenience functions of the other Berlingos are retained,
such as power steering and servo brakes, the former being provided with
power by a separate electric motor driving an hydraulic pump and the
latter by an electric vacuum pump. Both systems are powered by a
separate auxiliary battery.
From
flat the batteries can be charged in nine hours using a normal domestic
power supply and plug. The batteries can be fast charged for ten
minutes to give 20 km of operation.
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