Battery Vehicle Society

Hi,

Foregive my newbie question and a probable lack of knowledge of any politics involved.

But what is the difference between this group and electriccarsUK Yahoo Group ?

Is it better to try and develop a strong, well attended and coordinated EV group rather than many smaller groups.

What discussions have taken place with the yahoo group about merging resources ?

Regards,
Rob

Traditionally, the BVS has been orientated toward those interested in building, converting, owning, driving and preserving EVs. Until very recently the BVS didn't have any Political aspirations and in fact, many would like it to stay that way.

CBEV have been a political and campaign group aimed at encouraging the building of and the legislation to promote EV use. The group on a whole tends to be more consumer based than the BVS has historically been, but all of that has changed over the past few years with BVS members getting actively involved with BVS campaigning and the encouragement of members joining who had a purely consumer interest in EVs.

Would I like to see them merge? Yes! Most definitely. As press officer for the BVS I see it as being very important that the BVS has a wide and varied membership base, skillset and aims. The work that the BEVOB group has done in Bristol (by introducing charging stations) has really done a lot to encourage and change the group dynamic and the image of the BVS.

Many CBev people are actually in the BVS and while CBev doesn't have any subscription or member list I would like to see everyone who is involved with one involved with the other - or better still, joining forces.

Obviously, this is my own personal opinion and not necessarily that of all of the BVS committee. However, I can see a point in the future when we do all work together.

I think that the BVS the "Campaign for Battery Electric Vehicles" exist for different reasons and should remain independant. However, there's nothing to stop a member of one joining the other.

Floydster

That is very true. I think the important thing is to ensure however that the two groups don't both work separately while trying to do the same thing. - Having members in both I think will help pool resources.

The Yahoo group, for myself, I have found to be much more politically biased and they are very good at jumping up and down and getting into heavy debates about the rights and wrongs of different political views etc which at the end of the day is exactly what the group is there to do

Try to discuss the actual driving and using a EV in real life and you get no where fast I have found Hence why I am here

I have little interest in politics to be honest, I have though a huge interest in EV's and I am happy to leave all the political side of things to them

So as Nikki said I am one of those who is quite happy for the BVS to remain politically neutral.

As Nikki says theres nothing to stop members being in both groups I am a member of that group and get the regular mail digests from them, not that I read 90% of them as its not the sort of thing that interests me as I have said.

Please note :- these are just my own opinions and are not nessesarly those of the BVS or its members ( just to be completely politically correct and not to get my botty sued )

ChrisB

See Chris, I quite like jumping off the fence and getting my sleeves rolled up in political argument - but as to make the society choose one political standpoint? No.

Thats fair enough Nikki , feel free to roll your sleeves up

I'll carry on fiddling with me vehicle......ooooo er Mrs's

As I said politics are fine for some people, its just not for me.

ChrisB