TopGear Drives the Tesla Roadster

For those who don't know, TopGear is a BBC car show:
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/top-gear-reviews-the-tesla-roadster/4052367588

The review http://www.google.com/search?q=top+gear+tesla">seems to have generated a bit of controversy, however I think it's reasonably "balanced." They show off its performance, but also show off some of its drawbacks.

to consume consumptively more than their fair share of the planet's dwindling resources for no earthly reason that can be remotely considered justifiable in any moral sense.

Other than that, it's a great car.

I saw the ep when it aired a couple months ago, and was a little disgusted.

Overall they grudgingly liked it, but I think their test of the battery life of the car is skewed.

There is also the fact that their tests are brutal, and drain performance cars dry in about the same amount of time.

They are even less kind to the Prius.

I liek top gear, but these are unapologetic petrol heads who drink petrol!

They could care less about fuel efficiency and reducing pollution it seems sometimes.

*shrugs*

I like the Tesla, because it made two points ONE: electric isn't boring, TWO: you can get performance AND battery life.

It was meant as a prototype that the rich ITers in the bay area could drive.

The next step was to make cars NORMAL people could afford and use. They have plans for a sedan, that gets like 2-300 miles range!

And yet, their review of the Honda Clarity was almost entirely positive.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=191043&mesg_id=191043

So, I don't think it's a "petrol bias." One of their undeniable points about the Tesla is that when it's out of juice, it takes a several hours to recharge (from a typical outlet.) The fuel cell vehicle however can be refilled in a matter of minutes.

Too heavy for the ten-cent suspension they put on that thing, and waaaaay overpriced for a 'high-performance' vehicle with that many flaws.

Fuel cells are the way of the future of automobiles. Unless batteries can come a long way in a short time, fuel cell technology and the availability of fueling stations may just leap-frog the battery solution for electric cars.

I'm sure too that you're very popular and represent the mainstream of freaking consumers who feel very smug about consuming shit - the consequences for the one or two billion people who live on less than $1000 per year be damned.

And if you must know, I am bitter about the mindless consumer memtality that feels like it can screw half of the humanity living on this planet to make a smug, mindless "I want one" statement about every piece of plastic shit they see (and drool over).

Have a nice "party" day, oh and be absolutely sure to be sweetness and saccharine in your party of 300 million.

But while we're singing "Kumbaya" about your party of 300 million airheads, let's post a pic of a cute little girl cleaning up your shit.



I'm sure you're very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very concerned about electronic waste, but not so concerned as to actually stand in the way of pop cheering for bourgeois consumer crap.

But oh well. The car is pretty damn cool despite the drawbacks. Tesla's new electric sedan looks to be a pretty interesting ride.