IET: Electric motorsports film gets London Showcase

CHARGE – zero emissions/maximum speed, a film showcasing the zero emissions technology behind the TT Zero Races on the Isle of Man is being shown this week (Wednesday 12th October) at London’s iconic Savoy Place home of the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET).

Charge, by Mark Neale, director of ‘Faster’, and narrated by Ewan McGregor, comes prior to its release later in the year. The film will be followed by an open panel discussion on zero emission motorsports, its role as a force for change, and the role of the IET in this growing area.

In June 2009 TTXGP, the first zero-emissions Grand Prix, took place on the Isle of Man as part of the famous TT races. Neale’s film follows several teams to this ground breaking event and their return in 2010. For the visionaries, it's history; for the petrol-heads, it's blasphemy. What is racing without the sound and fury of internal combustion engines? This is a thrilling movie with lots of action, lots of drama, and some wry observations on technological development and personality.

Simon Maddison, chairman of the IET’s Technical Advisory Panel to TTXGP, said, “I am immensely proud of the key role the IET has played in getting zero emission motorcycle racing off the ground; this film really captures some of the thrill and drama involved in the iconic first zero emission TT races. This is unquestionably something to capture the imagination of the next generation of engineers, facing up to the challenges of the 21st Century, and is also a significant step in driving the acceptance of zero emission technology for everyday use."

The IET played a vital role in making this all happen, providing a team of technical experts who set the rules, established an assessment system for the entries, advised the teams on compliance and provided the specialist scrutinisers for the event itself.

Dr Ken Milne, senior manager for energy policy, Department for Economic Development, Isle of Man commented: “The TT Zero races have captured the imagination of major corporations, universities and hi-tech institutions across the globe and we are proud to showcase ‘Charge’. This is a great opportunity for the Island to demonstrate why it is an ideal location to trial technology whilst also offering protection to intellectual property generated by businesses, and to highlight the growing success of the TT Zero. We are very excited by the collaboration with the IET, cementing the Isle of Man’s position as a world centre for clean tech business. “

As well as being chaired by Simon Maddison, the panel comprises Azhar Hussain MBE – founder of TTXGP, Dr Ken Milne – Senior Manager for Energy Policy at the Isle of Man Government, and Professor Pat Wheeler – Professor of Power Electronic Systems in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Nottingham.
An Electric race bike from Ecolve will be on display.

Ends
Notes to editors:
Expert spokespeople are available for interview and comment.
The IET is Europe’s largest professional body of engineers with over 150,000 members in 127 countries.
For more information, visit www.theiet.org.

Timing:
§ 6.00 pm registration and tea – see some Electric Race Bikes

§ 6.30 pm – ‘Charge – the Movie’

§ 7.30 pm – Open Panel discussion on Zero Emission Motor Sports and their role as an agent of change

§ 8.15 pm – Wine reception in the Kelvin Lounge

§ Trailer: http://chargemovie.com/

Panel:
· Simon Maddison CEng FIET FBCS – Chairman of the IET Technical Advisory Panel to TTXGP. Simon draws upon over 35 years of experience at the cutting edge of managing the development, deployment and commercialisation of new technology. He graduated from Imperial College with a first class honours in Electrical Engineering.

· Azhar Hussain MBE – Entrepreneur and indefatigable founder of TTXGP – the world’s first zero emission Grand Prix. Since then TTXGP has moved on to a number of series in Europe, North America, and Australia. Azhar was recently awarded the MBE for his services to motorsport.

· Dr Ken Milne – Since 2009, Dr Ken Milne has had responsibility for energy policy and economic development in the clean technology sector. This fits well with existing sectors on the Isle of Man including clusters created around other industries such as aerospace, commercial space projects and E-gaming.

· Professor Pat Wheeler – Pat Wheeler received his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering for his work on Matrix Converters at the University of Bristol. In 1993 he moved to the University of Nottingham where he became Professor of Power Electronic Systems within the Power Electronics, Machines and Control Group in January 2008. He has been a key panel member of the IET advisory group to TTXGP since its establishment.

Media enquiries to:

Belinda Webb, Communications Officer

T: +44 (0)1438 765608

· M: +44 (0)7775 851 853

· E : bwebb@theiet.org