So Top Gear lied about Tesla?

so, driven hard, how many miles would the tesla last?
 
Tautology from FG's resident Miserable Norwayist aside, since EV's will almost inevitably become part of our motoring future I think it was relevant, even if said electric vehicles get their electicity from an on-board hydrogen fuel cell rather than batteries. May's pieces on the GM Hy-Wire and the Honda FCX Clarity were both interesting and relevant (as well as being more like proper TG eh, ahpadt?)

The Tesla isn't the only thing that's taken a kicking from JC and they should man up and stop whining. The Caparo T1 came out looking like an over-priced ton of epic fail but I haven't heard them loading both barrels with high-priced lawyers. Probably because they don't come from a country where everyone sues everyone else for speaking their mind or having an opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a suit from some of Tesla's engineers claiming stress and injury to feeling next.

Oh, and that JC fathered one of their illegitimate children..... ;)
 
I like the way Jay Leno put it when James visited him in his garage of dreams: the same way that the internal combustion engine liberated horses from their gruelling daily tasks, electric motors will liberate the ICE from powering our mundane transport vehicles. I don't think the magnificent rumble of a big V8 or the howl of a supercharger are going anywhere soon, but the dreary sighs of small four cylinder engines should be on their way into the history books.
 
No im serious. Cool in a "Ipad, Medical advances, cool new tech" kind of way. The Fossil Fuel ICE is interesting and efficient, but is ultimately a Victorian relic.
 
No im serious. Cool in a "Ipad, Medical advances, cool new tech" kind of way. The Fossil Fuel ICE is interesting and efficient, but is ultimately a Victorian relic.

Remember when the first personal computers came out? Those beige boxes that displayed blocky green text on black screens and floppy drives that made weird groaning noises? That's the level of uncoolness that electric cars are at right now. Anything promoted by smelly beardy people with thick glasses is never cool. Cutting-edge and exciting, yes; has potential to be interesting in the future, maybe; cool, not yet.
 
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Remember when the first personal computers came out? Those beige boxes that displayed blocky green text on black screens and floppy drives that made weird groaning noises? That's the level of uncoolness that electric cars are at right now. Anything promoted by smelly beardy people with thick glasses is never cool. Cutting-edge and exciting, yes; has potential to be interesting in the future, maybe; cool, not yet.

Yes I hate hipsters too.
 
This kinda tweeks my hide. This almost seems like it is going away from what the show was suppose to be for. Top Gear was first created to give basic information on cars and what it can do. Now their making lies just for rating purposes. Where is the ethics in this. Forget the personal jabs against Mexicans, Gypies, Religion, etc. Why start twisting what the foundation of the show is based upon. Just give us the facts, some of the pros, some of the cons, and give us your professional opinion? Do it without giving lies.

Luca$
 
The funny thing about batteries, you can use their power as quickly or slowly as you want. Drive like Clarkson does and I have no doubt the range would be less, remember that all cars get awful economy (~10mpg) if you race them. Tesla is no different in that respect.
 
Tesla accepted the review (with a bit of huffing and puffing) when it was originally broadcast, presumably because it was broadcast in the UK which is not a big market for them. .

Gotta chime in here:

Wether I agree with the review or not, that fact is that "Top Gear" really doesn't like the electric car as a whole. I mean...the presenters on the show reeeealy don't like them.

And you know what? I'm fairly sure that most people on the planet right now know that. Including most car manufacturers.

Wether it's right or wrong, if you, as a maker of an electric car go to Top Gear and ask them to do a review of your car...and you're honestly expecting a good one, you need to have your head examined.

Again, whether it's right or wrong, even if you had an electric car that was actually pretty good, and would probably work in the real world for most people, and even if it was pretty...you have to know what the end result will be.

You'd see the guys thrashing it round the track till the poor thing burst into flames, or waved the white flag. And then burst into flames again.

Then the guys would stand there and say: "See, this is why electric cars just don't work. Anyway.... lets take a look at the new Lamborghini..." while The Stig hands you a box of the parts left over that didn't burn into a puddle of goo, or were left in bits and pieces scattered around the track.

I personally don't know the whole story on this incident, but Tesla waiting this long to start fussing is just odd to me. Even if it did happen just as they said...they've had 2 years since to do their own "Top Gear" style review to try to discount every bad point that Jeremy and company sent out. And to my knowledge they haven't.

Saying that they thought it was just a car review done by some silly show, done by some guys that most people don't even know is utterly ridiculous.

Top Gear is the most widely watched show out there right now. Not even including the Dave channel constant reruns...or the massive amount of downloading going on. Since it's return in it's new format in 2002, it now has a worldwide audience of over 350 million viewers!

Let me say that again...350,000,000. Thats actually more than a Quarter of a Billion people each week watch the show.

So for Tesla to even insinuate that they had no idea so many people would be watching, and the reruns would be shown to so many people....in the world ( HA!) is beyond belief.

If you owned a Morris Marina that you loved, but were also an avid fan of the show...would you offer up your pride and joy for the boys, and The Stig to go and have fun with for a few days? I think I just heard someone scream "Hell No!" And some crying too...but never mind...

Or you had a sweeeeeeeet G-Wiz that you loved so much. Put all of your time and money into it, and then step back, and hand the keys to the Hounds of Hell themselves. Jeremy, James, and Hammond...and then let then hoon the crap outta it it for a weekend. If you were expecting that car to even existafter that...well sweetie we may have to increase your meds. :p


It's just gonna happen like this every time. For now at least.

OTOH, if I play Devils Advocate here for a minute for the electric car, then, I will, defiantly have to say that yes...eventually....under certain situations....it may be an alternative to the old ICE we all know and love. That time is just not now, I'm afraid.

The Governments are doing everything in their power to shove electrics down our throats...like it or not...as the future of the car.

Which, right now, today as I type this:


Is utter Bollocks.

Technology is growing by leaps and bounds, every day. Just like everything else in life...eventually it'll get there.

And believe it or not, I'll be happy for them. Now admittedly they do have a lot of work to do. And they are trying, which is more than most people...bless them.


Admittedly, I do like this car. Hell, I'd love anything based on a Lotus.:D If the price weren't so high, and I had already installed a surefire was to keep it topped up, or knew how to do that on the fly while traveling...I'd consider it.
 
so, driven hard, how many miles would the tesla last?

As usual with these question, "it depends".

There are lots of variables to take into account such as acceleration, braking, and so forth. But, starting 100 yrds from a brick wall... it could be as little as about 100 yards.
 
Just throwing it out there, Autocar in its review drained the Tesla Roadster on a track after 75 miles, which is not that far from Clarkson's claim of 55.

Over a steady but not slow touring route of motorway and A-road, we managed more than 150 miles on a single charge. At the test track we drained the Tesla in 75 miles. Typically you?d see around 130 miles on a single charge with a mix of leisurely and spirited driving.
 
So Top Gear, an entertainment show with cars in it, might make stuff up and not tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth about a piece of shit car (well its not even a car, its an appliance with 4 wheels).
I am shocked!
I have nothing but ill will towards companies making vehicles powered by electricity.
 
My opinion is that Tesla is way off base here. Their claims boil down to this: that Top Gear took some artistic liberty rather than precisely demonstrate what happened.

Tesla is trying to be a bit clever here... note that they don't dispute TG's 55 mile figure. They are simply complaining that the car pushed into the hangar with the claim of having run out of juice hadn't actually been run out of juice.

Top Gear, having only an hour per show -- and even less per segment -- is clearly not going to be able to present every single detail in full proof. They are going to use some artistic license. They don't show every mile of a race across Europe, do they?

In the end, I have to think this is about trying to drum up publicity and headlines for a company that is years away from selling its 5000th vehicle

Steve
 
That's bullshit.

Really? I see no EV's that have a similar range to normal petrol cars which in my mind makes them pointless. We are starting to see car companies realising that people don't want to sit inside a steel box with no comfort, while going to work, which is good, but their range is still so limited it's ridiculous.
 
I have nothing but ill will towards companies making vehicles powered by electricity.
:lol: Gotta keep an open mind, don't you?

Really? I see no EV's that have a similar range to normal petrol cars which in my mind makes them pointless. We are starting to see car companies realising that people don't want to sit inside a steel box with no comfort, while going to work, which is good, but their range is still so limited it's ridiculous.
If that's your reason for saying that

any EV vehicle - no matter range - sucks ass, Tesla Roadster included
I'd like to hear your opinion on supercars. It must be that Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Zondas and the like all "suck ass", without exception, because they're impractical and low-range, too.
 
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