BBC's Jeremy Clarkson Produces Deceptive Tesla Review (Video)
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA 
on 12.29.08
Jeremy Clarkson's Tesla Never Ran Out of Charge
Jeremy Clarkson, presenter of the BBC’s car show "Top Gear," is not known for his love of green motoring. He’s caused lasting damage to precious ecosystems in Botswana, and he trashed the G-Wiz electric vehicle, calling it a “stupid little car”, among other things. (Top Gear was a little kinder to the Honda FCX fuel cell car, though they didn't see fit to look into the downsides of hydrogen...) But what happened when Clarkson came face-to-face with the much touted Tesla? He was certainly impressed with it’s acceleration, and pleased with its handling, but if you watch the segment above, it would appear he was let down by the battery performance – running out of steam on the track. Only one small problem – it turns out he lied…
The Guardian tells us that the BBC is coming under fire for allowing such a misleading review of the Tesla to take place. You see Clarkson never ran out of juice. In fact, at no time during filming did either of the cars drop below 20% charge. But Tesla are not going to be pursuing the matter with the BBC, arguing that most viewers know what to expect from Clarkson and friends. More from The Guardian:
“Rachel Konrad, a spokeswoman for Tesla, said at no time did the batteries in either of the two cars used in the Top Gear test drop below 20% charge. She told MediaGuardian.co.uk: "The image of them pushing it off the track was so searing," she said. But she said she was generally happy with the overall tone of the review. "I thought it was a positive piece for Tesla by Top Gear standards. I personally like the show – it savages cars in a very entertaining way. My concern was with American viewers who were tuning in for the first time and might not understand the whole angle of the show. We wanted to make clear that range was not a concern over the entire time of the [Top Gear] test.”
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So the battery didn't die, he just lied. And the brakes are, well, not a problem specific to electric cars. But that doesn't tell us much about the overheating issue. I realize they were driving the car quite hard, but that's normal use for a sports car. Or did they lie about overheating as well? Or maybe they simply did something ridiculous like a ten minute tire squeal.
I don't know where people get the idea that he lied from he clearly states that if you ran out of juice this would happen, he did not say that the car ran out of juice.
Though I agree that Jeremy Clarkson is no great friend to green motoring, he never actually said the car ran out of juice. He said the brakes failed on one car (apparently because of a blown fuse) and the motor overheated on the other. I think he gave a very fair review of the Teslas. He's a pragmatist, and he knows that no matter how fast and how cool an electric may be, it still needs to be as reliable and dependable and cheap as today's gas-powered models. The Tesla is neither...yet. Can't wait until it is.
So Clarkson said "This is what would happen if you run out of juice".
Wow, really? And what would happen if you ran out of gas in any other car? Do *they* have backup batteries to power the car on electricity if you run out?
But I would bet that he (and uh, everyone who drives) keeps a close enough eye on the gas guage to make sure that hardly ever happens.
Which is why the comment was just dumb, dumb, dumb.
But it's worth noting that it would be far easier to push a Tesla than it would be a Suburban. ;)
In response to "Wow, really? And what would happen if you ran out of gas in any other car?"
The answer is you put a can of gas into it, which takes a few minutes at most, and drive off. The point, and problem, with pure electric is you cant do that and it's the point TG tried, badly, to make.
@ Ernie : Sure you might have to push a gas car if you run out of gas, but usually you can just go refill the car at a nearby station, or have an auto club bring you a full can. With the Tesla, you'd have to stop somewhere and spend the night. That's fine for commuters or short jaunts that end back at your house (with the converter in the garage), but there is the point that if you're not at home, recharging takes several hours.
@AndyM : Sure he may not have said that their car ran out of juice, but the visual is what makes it deceptive.
This is news? Seriously I'm getting very fed up with the incredibly negative attacks by treehugger on news media.
While the Tesla is brilliant the problem I have is people pretending it's a viable replacement for the petrol car or even "green".
Plainly it's an expensive way to move two people, and not much else, a limited distance. It's a wonderful prototype of what pure electric cars may become but I doubt the technology, pure battery, is viable for mass market.
The Wright Flyer was a brilliant aircraft but only the principles it embodied, not it's technology, appear in 747.
The mileage/range for the battery life far exceeds what the average person would need on a daily basis. Of course one could argue that the Tesla is not a vehicle for the average person. True, but the technology behind it when applied to mass production methodologies is what can have a major positive impact.
If I'm not mistaken, it takes quite a bit of time to get fuel to the stations it is purchased from. Just because it is usually there when wanted, doesn't make it more convenient.
Charging stations can for the most part be less involved than the construction of fuel stations. Who knows, perhaps even alternative energy stations right off of public highways could include a charging station.
so what? what about the time he lied about the ford mustang in america, did everybody get up his nose about that? how did he damage ecosystems in botswana? the prime minister was there talking about him driving across the desert, if he didnt mind, why should you?
i personally think their review of the tesla was right. and the review of the fcx clarity was right too, hydrogen is the way to go.
She is worried about american viewers watching for the first time? The BBC has done all it can to keep us americans from watching Top Gear. So her argument is flawed and empty.
She is worried about american viewers watching for the first time? The BBC has done all it can to keep us americans from watching Top Gear. So her argument is flawed and empty.
Clarkson may be funny and entertaining but at the end of the day he is an ignoramus, simple as that.
I haven't seen the TOP GEAR Tesla video and I can't find it anywhere. The BBC appears to have yanked it from the net and I suspect that episode will never be seen in reruns. Anyone know where I can find it?