Stevens.... Never heard of it !

[GeordieInExile]

Has this made it into the AS fold yet?

[Bfg]

Tony Stevens electric vehicles were designed and built some time ago, and so the pre-production example seen above, ought to viewed in that context.  The concept was of a modular design whereby different model variations were available.. ie., the most economical (to both buy and run) family car, light commercial of two different body lengths, and van, pick-up, or box van configurations - all with the same chassis and drive-train, parts, doors glass etc., ..so a whole range from a minimum investment in tooling.

To be distributed and with training and full technical support, under franchise agreements - the body in fibreglass was conceived be locally made by individual communities within developing countries, whereby any of the desired body configurations would be hand laminated. Tooling cost and indeed factory-space costs would, for some communities, be on a local garage scale.  Some components would be locally sourced, and otherwise a kit of parts ..in the fashion of CKD (complete knock down) kits would be supplied.  The design's style was somewhat compromised by its low cost to the end user, the diversity of modular options, and what components might be sourced locally ..hence features like only flat glass.  Seen in context that these electric vehicles would be a step up, in third world countries, from scooters and small motorcycles (often seen hugely overloaded !) hence the Stevens having a very short wheelbase and a tiny turning circle. Their function was more important than sporting style, so within the box-like shape is very usable space.

Although Tony, when met in person, comes across as an aristocrat (in the old fashion sense of the word) he has a heart of gold and his thinking is very green and humanitarian. CKD and locally made vehicles would save vast amounts of "shipping air" as Tony expressed it, ie., empty cars and vans, and all the spaces around them, being shipped all around the world.  Also things like tyres which might presently be shipped from India to the UK to be fitted to a car, which is then shipped back to be sold in India.. go figure !  

Dockside handling, customs duties and other Import taxes would be minimal, as that would be only be paid on any components actually bought in.  And unlike most production cars.. if something wasn't needed for certain markets (like a car heater in Africa) then it simply wouldn't be bought, nor fitted.  I'm sure you could list a host of things fitted to your UK spec car, that cost the original buyer, but really is not necessary for basic transport ..in and around a remote Chinese village. 

Similarly, many parts which carry a premium price because of branding and/or simply because they have a kite mark / EU / or American certificate of approval, are simply not needed in many countries. The 'standards' institutes, homologation authorities and captains of industry, of the developed world, are very keen to impose their regulations and standards on cultures and countries that simply don't want nor need them. And once 'the system' has been accepted, then the consumer is locked into it.  Hey ho., the capitalist win !   (..does this bring to anyone's mind Brussels ?)

Tony went on to develop a network of suppliers (all this being at his own cost) from around the world to further minimize shipping distances, and their associated costs.  The vehicles were designed to be lightweight and yet robust enough for poor road conditions - that's always a difficult compromise. Accident damage would have to be easy to repair roadside. The vehicle lightness and electric propulsion were focused on minimising running costs for the end user, not on the performance expected by those who take for granted decent roads and high speed.   

Given such a criteria, and with the time and a fleet of prototypes to be funded out of your own pocket ! - I challenge anyone to produce something nicer !  

The vehicles are electric, with the hope that charging kits of solar panels might also be supplied ..for the home user (think off-the-grid living conditions in some communities).  The cost of those to the end-user would of course be a fraction of what we might expect to pay, because they again would be mostly locally made &/or with volume sales and minimal taxes.  Often our ideas of 'value'  hugely inflates the price an item might otherwise be sold for. 

The vehicle illustrated, in preceding posts, was one of just a handful built and sold locally as a pre-production example.  Aside from the (very minimal) income from sales, they served a purpose of evaluation ..in everyday use.  And of course they helped to raise the profile of this enterprise - with the hope of securing future funding. 

Tony Stevens started all this from the idea and aspiration of avoiding the greenhouse effect of everyone and their small businesses, in industrially-developing-nations, having little option but to buy carbon fueled vehicles (in China, India, south Americas, Africa, etc ... ie., billions more vehicles !).  He invested his life, career and pretty much all the money he had - to try and produce vehicles that ground-root working people might afford.  Venture capitalists on the other hand want to see big fat profits and quick returns on their investment.  As a result, after many years of work, negotiation with numerous organisations from many parts of the world, his company failed to secure the venture capital needed to get things moving on an economically viable scale.  By then, the big boys like Nissan came to the forefront with their 'economical ..for those with enough money'  electric cars. Tony is now in his nineties and most of these endeavours were simply washed away with history.

Just possibly though - his ideas, although rarely duly credited, might live on - in people he spoke with. His thinking has certainly had a positive influence on my personal values and endeavours.  The Steven Cipher sports-car, although only six pre-production vehicle were made, is undoubtedly evident in the Mazda MX5 ..of which a few more were made.  And who knows about his electric vehicles, along with the business plan he shared with so many. Perhaps too, they were the seed that took root in a far off country, and will influence a future generation of . . . . ?

Pete

 

p.s. Tony worked his way up through various positions to be Chief Engine Designer for the Rootes group for a number of years. He was not responsible for any model range.  

[mitsisigma01]

18 minutes ago, Bfg said:

yet robust enough for poor road condition

Wouldn't last too long on roads round here nowadays 😕

[garethj]

On 19/03/2022 at 14:26, Bfg said:

Tony Stevens electric vehicles were designed and built some time ago, and so the pre-production example seen above, ought to viewed in that context.  The concept was of a modular design whereby different model variations were available.. ie., the most economical (to both buy and run) family car, light commercial of two different body lengths, and van, pick-up, or box van configurations - all with the same chassis and drive-train, parts, doors glass etc., ..so a whole range from a minimum investment in tooling.

To be distributed and with training and full technical support, under franchise agreements - the body in fibreglass was conceived be locally made by individual communities within developing countries, whereby any of the desired body configurations would be hand laminated. Tooling cost and indeed factory-space costs would, for some communities, be on a local garage scale.  Some components would be locally sourced, and otherwise a kit of parts ..in the fashion of CKD (complete knock down) kits would be supplied.  The design's style was somewhat compromised by its low cost to the end user, the diversity of modular options, and what components might be sourced locally ..hence features like only flat glass.  Seen in context that these electric vehicles would be a step up, in third world countries, from scooters and small motorcycles (often seen hugely overloaded !) hence the Stevens having a very short wheelbase and a tiny turning circle. Their function was more important than sporting style, so within the box-like shape is very usable space.

Although Tony, when met in person, comes across as an aristocrat (in the old fashion sense of the word) he has a heart of gold and his thinking is very green and humanitarian. CKD and locally made vehicles would save vast amounts of "shipping air" as Tony expressed it, ie., empty cars and vans, and all the spaces around them, being shipped all around the world.  Also things like tyres which might presently be shipped from India to the UK to be fitted to a car, which is then shipped back to be sold in India.. go figure !  

Dockside handling, customs duties and other Import taxes would be minimal, as that would be only be paid on any components actually bought in.  And unlike most production cars.. if something wasn't needed for certain markets (like a car heater in Africa) then it simply wouldn't be bought, nor fitted.  I'm sure you could list a host of things fitted to your UK spec car, that cost the original buyer, but really is not necessary for basic transport ..in and around a remote Chinese village. 

Similarly, many parts which carry a premium price because of branding and/or simply because they have a kite mark / EU / or American certificate of approval, are simply not needed in many countries. The 'standards' institutes, homologation authorities and captains of industry, of the developed world, are very keen to impose their regulations and standards on cultures and countries that simply don't want nor need them. And once 'the system' has been accepted, then the consumer is locked into it.  Hey ho., the capitalist win !   (..does this bring to anyone's mind Brussels ?)

Tony went on to develop a network of suppliers (all this being at his own cost) from around the world to further minimize shipping distances, and their associated costs.  The vehicles were designed to be lightweight and yet robust enough for poor road conditions - that's always a difficult compromise. Accident damage would have to be easy to repair roadside. The vehicle lightness and electric propulsion were focused on minimising running costs for the end user, not on the performance expected by those who take for granted decent roads and high speed.   

Given such a criteria, and with the time and a fleet of prototypes to be funded out of your own pocket ! - I challenge anyone to produce something nicer !  

The vehicles are electric, with the hope that charging kits of solar panels might also be supplied ..for the home user (think off-the-grid living conditions in some communities).  The cost of those to the end-user would of course be a fraction of what we might expect to pay, because they again would be mostly locally made &/or with volume sales and minimal taxes.  Often our ideas of 'value'  hugely inflates the price an item might otherwise be sold for. 

The vehicle illustrated, in preceding posts, was one of just a handful built and sold locally as a pre-production example.  Aside from the (very minimal) income from sales, they served a purpose of evaluation ..in everyday use.  And of course they helped to raise the profile of this enterprise - with the hope of securing future funding. 

Tony Stevens started all this from the idea and aspiration of avoiding the greenhouse effect of everyone and their small businesses, in industrially-developing-nations, having little option but to buy carbon fueled vehicles (in China, India, south Americas, Africa, etc ... ie., billions more vehicles !).  He invested his life, career and pretty much all the money he had - to try and produce vehicles that ground-root working people might afford.  Venture capitalists on the other hand want to see big fat profits and quick returns on their investment.  As a result, after many years of work, negotiation with numerous organisations from many parts of the world, his company failed to secure the venture capital needed to get things moving on an economically viable scale.  By then, the big boys like Nissan came to the forefront with their 'economical ..for those with enough money'  electric cars. Tony is now in his nineties and most of these endeavours were simply washed away with history.

Just possibly though - his ideas, although rarely duly credited, might live on - in people he spoke with. His thinking has certainly had a positive influence on my personal values and endeavours.  The Steven Cipher sports-car, although only six pre-production vehicle were made, is undoubtedly evident in the Mazda MX5 ..of which a few more were made.  And who knows about his electric vehicles, along with the business plan he shared with so many. Perhaps too, they were the seed that took root in a far off country, and will influence a future generation of . . . . ?

Pete

 

p.s. Tony worked his way up through various positions to be Chief Engine Designer for the Rootes group for a number of years. He was not responsible for any model range.  

Looks like this idea has come around again.

 

[maxpower]

On 24/04/2021 at 21:04, brownnova said:

Yellow it was! Just lost a bit looking back at the history... 

Designed by the same guy who did the Hilman Hunter and Sunbeam Rapier! (According to Wikipedia) 

Did he fall and have a bang to the head before designing this?

[brownnova]

It was looking a lot worse last time I passed it… and this was 18 months ago!

 

Looks like someone tried to move it and broke the back axle. I’d fully intended to enquire and got the number ready, but on that Rusty axle snap sight put me off. 
 

Wonder if it’s still there and what state it’s in now! 

[catsinthewelder]

That's a shame , pretty sure it was still there a couple of weeks ago.

[morrisoxide]

I was expecting to see a discussion about this.

Not that I know what this product is. I've never used it honest guv, I swear down.

[Pieman]

Have the side doors on that thing....melted?

[morrisoxide]

This thread has jogged a memory of a Bradshaws electric pick up I saw years ago.

I'd never heard of those before, it looked like a Grumman van only smaller and with a pick up bed. I'll see if I can find a picture.