The same year this Canadian movie came out, the rock band Rush ( also Canadian) released the song "Red Barchetta", which had a very similar theme; namely, the thrill of driving gas-powered cars in a world where they're outlawed.
The film takes place in 2015.
Another Canadian car-themed sci-fi film was also released in 1981, The Last Chase (1981), both with similar plots involving the government outlawing car use due to oil shortages. Both also coincidentally featured George Touliatos.