Milk float

A milk float is a small battery electric vehicle (BEV), specifically designed for the delivery of fresh milk. They were once common in many European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, and were operated by local dairies. However, in recent years, as the number of supermarkets, small independent grocers and petrol stations stocking fresh milk has increased, most people have switched from regular home delivery to obtaining fresh milk from these other sources.

Milk floats travel fairly slowly, usually around 10 to 15 miles per hour (16–24 km/h) although some have been modified to do up to 80 mph (130 km/h). Operators often exit their vehicle before they have completely stopped to speed deliveries; milk floats generally have doors that can be left open. They are very quiet, suiting operations in residential areas during the early hours of the morning or during the night.

In August 1967 the UK Electric Vehicle Association put out a press release stating that Britain had more battery-electric vehicles on its roads than the rest of the world put together^[1] It is not clear what research the association had undertaken into the electric vehicle populations of other countries, but closer inspection disclosed that almost all of the battery fueled vehicles licensed for UK road use were milk floats.^[1]

Manufacturers of milk floats in Britain in the twentieth century have included Smith's, Wales & Edwards, Osborne, Harbilt, Brush, Bedford and British Leyland. As of 2009, Bluebird Automotive^[2] and Smith Electric Vehicles^[3] remain in the industry.

Before BEVs, dairy supplies were made with horse-drawn milk floats. This lasted from the late 1800s until the 1950s.^[4] Today, with rounds expanding in coverage to ensure profitability in the face of falling levels of patronage, the limited range and speed of electric milk floats has resulted in many being replaced by diesel powered converted vans.

A collection of milk floats and other BEVs is kept by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Trust at their museum.

Glasgow has one of the largest working milk float fleets in the UK. Most of the vehicles operate from the Grandtully Depot in Kelvindale.

Images

A milk float in Liverpool city centre, June 2005

A Dairy Crest Smith's Elizabethan milk float

A Dairy Crest Ford Transit based milk float

A Dairy Crest ex-Unigate Wales & Edwards Rangemaster milk float.

See also

Electric vehicles portal

• Electric platform truck
• Neighborhood electric vehicle

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Milk floats

• Milk Float Corner
• Smith Electric Vehicles website
• Bluebird Automotive website

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