All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

ii2 All About Inventions during the day and night when the demand falls below maximum supply. These are the periods when the current could be profitably switched in to charge accumulators. Possibly in the near future, as the electric vehicle increases in popularity, the dimensions, weight, and capacities of the storage batteries will become standardised. In such an event it would be possible for electric charging stations to acquire a sufficiency of batteries and to keep them charged. A customer, whose battery was running down, would drive up, withdraw his exhausted ac- cumulator, and hand it over in exchange for one which was charged. The batteries being equal value, neither would lose over the exchange. The customer would merely pay for so much electric current as represented by that stored in the battery, reconnect up, and drive away. If the number of such stations were sufficient, it would be possible to embark upon long tours without the slightest hesitation, the chang- ing of accumulators at successive stations merely being equivalent to the purchase of supplies of fuel. The accumulators would correspond to the petrol cans which are readily exchanged at every garage to-day, although, of course, the capital outlay would be decidedly heavier. But a battery, if properly handled, and especially if of the character which has been per- fected by Edison, will stand very rough handling and last for years. The advantages of the electric vehicle are so pro- nounced as to impress everyone. It offers smoother running ; vibration is absent; control is easier—there is only a single lever ; construction is simpler and more durable; it is cheaper to maintain — intricate gears