The Leyland Crompton Electicar was a concept designed to look at the future of motoring in 1972.

To keep the costs down the car was designed to make use of many standard Mini parts.

Power came from 2 3.9hp electric motors that were fed by no less than 24 standard lead acid batteries.

The body was by Michelotti and the interior featured a Quartic steering wheel, that, despite it’s space saving practicality, would become the butt of many jokes when introduced with the Austin Allegro production car the following year.

Top speed for the Electricar was 33 mph and the range dependent on gradient and other operating conditions was 40 miles.

Electricar was fitted with an on board charger that could be plugged into a house hold socket, operating costs at 1972 prices were of the order of a penny per mile.

Weighing a third more than a regular powered petrol powered Mini, thanks to those lead acid batteries, the Electricar seen here at the British Motor Museum Gaydon was shown to the public for the first time at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show.

Thanks for joining me on this “Heavy Electricity” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for Mercedes Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !