does tanfield have 2 good businesses ( smith electrics and upright)which are good value for the medium to long term hold ?

It would be nice if TAN would bring out a "people carrier" since many of these are owned by large families with disposable incomes. Recent attacks on fuel-guzzlers includes these vehicles, due to their large engines/gross weight. Many are used for "school-runs" and whilst there are safety issues ("silence"), with EV's there are plenty of so-called "Environmental benefits" which means we will have to accept EV's in the next 10-years.
A major issue is the replacement battery-cost and lack of both Motorway//in-town charging points and the long-time it takes presently means that buyers need to be "encouraged".
I agree with others here, that the source of Electric Energy has to be put aside to get the EV into main-stream, and only "Volume" will reduce the price and put pressure on Councils to provide Town-centre charging points.
Persionally, I suspect we'll see supermarkets entering this Market, so you can charge your Battery, if you buy 100+ worth of goods. A 1-hour charge will restore the charge-level with care.

if Sweetheart really is going to promote electric cars, as i saw in the papers the other day, then there may be ba further fillip for TAN, though they are certainly not the only kid on the block

Hangon, they have what is described as a "people mover", though it is still concept Ford say that the Tourneo Connect BEV will be mass produced if enough interest is shown in it; a lot of interest has been shown so I would imagine it is now on Ford's list of production BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles).

Tan now 17.25 - 16.75 - up over 3 pence
Budget tomorrow could be benefitial to tan ?

Who knows ! but yep, it's looking good !

If the Budget has motivation for either or both of the construction and 'green' motor (especially commercial vehicles) industries then it will be good for TAN. The sp won't hang around much, not that it's doing much hanging around at the moment!

(Not in) but the the sp is doing fine..could be the buy on the rumour sell on the fact effect ....so a drop tomorrow ?.

Someones pulled the plug out, going down again....

Just a bit of profit taking before the Budget. I'm still waiting for sales info from the US, that is where I believe the momentum will come from: next year should be a big one for TAN with a few fillips along the way in the meantime, though I am not sure if Darling will have much to help today.

More progress in the USA.

California Energy Commission Adopts $176M Green Transportation Plan
23 April 2009
The California Energy Commission has adopted the states first transportation Investment Plan. The Alternative and Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Technology Programs Investment Plan allocates $176 million over the next two years to stimulate green transportation projects and encourage innovation to help meet the states aggressive climate change policies.

In its newly adopted Investment Plan, the Energy Commission proposes to expand the use of low carbon fuels and cleaner vehicles that are available today and open up the market for the more exotic technologies that are required in the future. Over the next two years, the Energy Commission will invest:

$46 million for electric vehicles, public charging stations, and manufacturing plants;
$40 million for hydrogen fueling stations;
$12 million for advanced ethanol fuel production facilities and E-85 fueling stations;
$43 million for natural gas vehicles, fueling stations and biomethane production facilities;
$6 million for advanced renewable diesel and biodiesel facilities; and
$2 million for propane vehicles.

The complete article is here:-
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/04/cec-green-20090423.html

Also reported today:-

$300 Million for US Clean Cities Fleet Programs
23 April 2009
The US Department of Energy will award $300 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to state and local governments, and transit authorities to expand the US fleet of clean, sustainable vehicles and the fueling infrastructure necessary to support them.

This funding adds to the $11 billion already announced by the Department of Energy to bolster state and local government energy efficiency programs and weatherize low-income homes.

These funds will give local and state governments the tools to expand the use of advanced technology vehicles in their fleets while at the same time building the infrastructure needed for tomorrows clean economy.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu
The $300 million will support at least 30 alternative fuels or advanced vehicles projects and requires a 50% participant cost share.

Complete article at:-
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/04/clean-cities-20090423.html

like this a lot

From Friday's Kansas City Business Journal:-

Canteen Vending Services will have to sell a lot of snacks to cover its planned purchase of some of the first battery-powered delivery trucks produced at Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. Corp.s new assembly plant at Kansas City International Airport.

The Smith Newton trucks, expected to start rolling off the line in the third quarter, will cost about $140,000 each, said Tim Goff, a senior vice president of Canteens Charlotte, N.C., parent, Compass Group North America.

A typical truck we would buy costs about $40,000, Goff said, so thats about a $100,000 increment.

Nevertheless, Compass Group plans to buy about 30 Smith Newtons during the next year and could convert is entire 10,000-truck fleet to battery power if the pilot test proves successful.

Sounds like a really sensible business decsion buy one for the price of three, pull the other one!

thoroughly agree ..... can't see this helping TAN one little bit

Well for my part Richard I called TAN a recovery play at 6p in October last year and although they dipped in January to 5p or so I'm quite happy to see 16p and not far from a 3 bagger. (Pity I didn't buy any!!)

Don't underestimate the power of the drive for e/v's (nice pun huh?!) in the US; companies looking at the longer term will want to make the savings that will come from turning electric plus it is what the Government want.

From yesterday's Kansas City Star.

Kokam America transplanted from South Korea, run by a Sri Lankan immigrant and based in Lees Summit may be the key to the next generation of local auto manufacturing. Kokam wants to build an 800,000-square-foot plant to manufacture batteries for electric-powered vehicles that U.S. automakers are feeling heat from Washington to build. President Barack Obama is pushing for 1 million American-made plug-ins on the road by 2015 and is offering ample federal incentives to help.

Last week, Gov. Jay Nixon visited Kokams current facility in Lees Summit, a relatively small plant that manufactures lithium polymer batteries for the military, aerospace and medical equipment.

Nixon is pushing the Missouri General Assembly to approve state incentives that would allow Kokam to build a $650 million plant in Lees Summit that would employ 900 people to make vehicle-sized batteries. The average salary would be $40,000.

We have an opportunity here, he said at a news conference after the tour. This is a fork in the road. This will expand into jobs and jump-start industries that need help with new technology and new products.

Sitting in the front row at Nixons event was Bryan Hansel, chief executive officer of Smith Electric Vehicles, another international hybrid, this one with British roots. In March, his company announced that it planned to build an assembly plant for plug-in electric delivery vans at Kansas City International Airport this summer.

But Hansel said the future of that facility, which will employ 120 people to start, depends on Kokam moving ahead with its massive battery plant in Lees Summit.

Hes got a one-year lease at a vacant maintenance hangar at KCI, with options for extensions, but he made it clear that a permanent presence in Kansas City depended on Kokam.

Where you have the worlds best batteries being built, thats where youll have vehicles being built, Hansel said. Its fundamental to us. If theres not a meaningful facility here, we wont be here long term.

Hansel said SEV plans to assemble 1,000 vehicles during its first year, with operations expected to begin this July.

Nixon, who traveled to Kansas City for the SEV announcement as well, believes the fledgling electric-vehicle industry is the real deal for Missouri.

SEV has people lined up to buy their products, he said. They had buyers before the first vehicles rolled off. Were not imagining something.

Don Nissanka, CEO of Kokam, said the batteries his company wants to build use technology developed in South Korea.

A vehicle can travel up to 150 miles before recharging, a process that takes two hours.

And its not just for clunky delivery vans.

A Kokam battery powers an electric version of the Lotus Elise, a British sports car.

The whole article is at:-
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1191357.html

What's going on at TAN today? Up 12%!

Hi Toya, it would appear that Tesco's are trialing 2 EV's.

Tesco goes electric