This month the government is installing more electric vehicle (EV) charging points, these at the Sea Terminal.

We asked people what they think of electric cars, and whether they would consider buying one.

Gerry Ganley, 60s, Douglas, said: ’They are the way forward, but it’s going to be a slow-burner to get there because they’re so expensive.’

He explained to us a lesser known detail about electric cars: ’The interesting thing to highlight sometimes that the carbon footprint of their development and production is very high,’ he added.

’So one of the cars I have, yes it is a diesel, but I bought it purely so as to not buy a new car - so you’re not creating this additional carbon footprint.

’And you can’t hear them coming, can you?’ He joked.

Gerry said that he would think about getting a second-hand one in a few years, but as someone who only uses his car twice a week, the initial cost would be too much and he would not reap the benefits on fuel savings.

When we asked Sharon Suwinski, Santon, if she would buy an EV, she said: ’I do want one, if only to save money on petrol.

’But they’re all really expensive because they’re new.

’I’d have a Mini, but they’re like 30 grand or something.

’So it doesn’t make sense right now, but I am ready to get one when they come down [in price],’ Sharon said.

She added that quite a few of her neighbours in Santon owned them.

’But you’d worry that you got to somewhere that didn’t have a charging point - so I suppose hybrid is the way forward.

’The island would be the best place for them because you’re only 30 miles away from home at furthest.’

Dominic Buttery, 24, Ramsey, said he would not buy an electric car as they are right now.

’Because I don’t think the battery technology is actually up to scratch just yet,’ he told us.

He explained about the environmental cost of disposing of electric car batteries.

’But also they’re really expensive - that’s the other major holdback for me, as a young person who doesn’t own a house or have a huge income, I need to buy a diesel/petrol secondhand.’

Emily Edwards, 30, Ramsey, said that she would not buy one at the moment either, explaining: ’I just think that the batteries just have really terrible things in them’.

’I just think you’re moving the emissions somewhere else.

Dominic added that he would buy one if the battery quality improves and there were more government funding and grants.

’And there’s not enough electric charging points around the island.

’There’s two in Chester Street and there’s two in Ramsey [By the Bourne Plaice], and the one in Chester Street’s always full,’ he said.

Danny Brophy, 66, Douglas, said that he ’doubted’ he would buy an EV now.

’I think by the time they come down to my price range I’ll be in a box!’ He joked.

Gill Brophy, 56, Douglas said that though she doesn’t drive she thinks that they are a good idea, albeit expensive.

She also said she agreed with the UK’s move to ban the sale of new petrol cars by 2030, and so did Danny.

Danny said he first noticed them on the roads with the Post Office’s white electric post vans, six of which were introduced in 2017.