The Positive Action Groups screening of the thought provoking film ‘Who Killed the Electric Car’ created a good deal of informal discussion among PAG members, and other members of the public, who attended the event on Monday.

The audience appeared quite astounded at the way in which legislators, car manufacturers and oil companies ‘conspired’ to ‘crush’ a viable ‘clean’ technology owing to distorted political and corporate priorities.

The film mainly tells the story of General Motors’ electric vehicle EV1 but also touches on other manufacturers’ vehicles converted to run on electricity.

The EV1 was only ever leased by GM to customers, mostly the well-healed ‘celebrity’, and refused to sell them. The vehicles were very much liked by their drivers but became less and loved by their makers when they realised they wouldn’t be able to profit so much from them.

It then appears a decision was taken to undermine the market for the vehicles so that the manufacturers could claim there was no demand.

This included fitting inferior batteries to restrict useable range.

Competitors also started to promote the fuel cell vehicle, even though the majority of people seemed to be of the opinion it is years away (if ever) of being a viable option.

The end game is that GM and others reclaim the vehicles and literally ‘crush’ them.

The film makers leave the audience in no doubt who they think the guilty parties are in ‘killing’ the concept.

However, the film does end on a slightly more positive note pointing out that the ‘plug-in’ hybrid electric/petrol vehicle does at least appear to have a future (it takes petrol after all) so the technology isn’t totally dead.

Some small manufactures, such as Venturi, are also producing, electric cars; albeit in Venturi’s case low volume high cost, ‘sexy’ sports cars.

Bike manufacturers are also getting in on the act and on display, in the foyer of the Ramsey Town Hall, was a Vectrix ‘maxi-scooter’ which has a range of 40 - 60 miles, a ‘restricted’ top speed of 62mph and an exhilarating level of acceleration. It is claimed that for some one commuting a similar distance by car the £5500 purchase price will soon be repaid if petrol costs remain above £1 a litre.