Challenge to Top gear over EV denials

Andy Wilman, the producer of Top Gear, stands by the story that took a swipe at the Nissan Leaf.

In a well crafted response, Top Gear claim that 

• They never said they were testing the range of the EV
• They never said what the distance of the journey was
• They knew the Nissan could monitor the distance
• The point was to question dealer claims about EV use.

The general tone of the denial is that the point of the film was to show that an EV is not a practical ‘city car’ as the dealers claim. They say that the Nissan Leaf is a very good car ‘per se’ but it is the battery and the charging capacity that is the weak link. It also points out that fast charging can severley shorten the battery life.

In true Top Gear style, the only way to settle this issue is by organising a genuine ‘Top Gear Challenge’ to test the claims of the manufacturers. I am certain that Nissan and Peugot will cooperate – provided that there is an independent referee! Letes see if Top Gear are prepared to ‘put up or shut up’!

Originally posted 2011-08-11 00:00:00.