Tiff Needell gets his first ride in a Model S

[TMS doc]

Tiff Needell of BBC's Top Gear and Fifth Gear fame, was in Las Vegas doing a TV show for my producer wife Paige (who by the way was a major volunteer in producing TESLIVE). Tiff is a gracious and lovely person, and definitely loves to joke around. He had a great time teasing Paige about me joining them in Vegas in the "battery on wheels", so she took the opportunity to let me take him to the airport.

While he had driven the Roadster years ago, he had never been in a Model S, or even seen one in person. He was instantly impressed at the appearance of the car. I offered to let him drive, but as is the case for many people leaving Las Vegas, he didn't feel quite up to it. So I showed him some of the features of the car including the ins-and-outs of the touchscreen, the rear jump seats which he said were fantastic, and the frunk; and even though I "only" have a standard Model S, I think I made his head spin a bit more as I floored it down the boulevards.

Although he was skeptical at first (see photo 1), he was quickly impressed, but was sure he wouldn't see a right hand drive version anytime soon. I let him know the first European cars are being built now.

It was thrilling to be able to give Tiff his first experience in the Model S.

 

[paigerama]

Yes indeed! It was such a thrill to be showing Tiff the Model S. The man is a legend in the racing world and a heck of a fun guy!

 

[Anzir]

Awesome!! I still have his TopGear review of the E39 M5 (done in the rain) on my external hard drive. I'm a big fan.

 

[HHHH]

Very cool, I owned an E39 M5 from 01-03 and have been watching him for years!

 

[pilotSteve]

Absolutely LOVE the "before" and "after" photos! Could that be the making of a Tesla grin? Time will tell..... Well Done @ TMS Doc!!!!!!

 

[PV4EV]

Tiff Needell of BBC's Top Gear and Fifth Gear fame

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Here in the UK Tiff is well known being a "thoroughly decent sort of chap" !

He did a very positive and balanced TV review of the Roadster for "Fifth Gear" back in 2010. One of his co-presenters for the same TV show is very enthusiastic about EV's, so maybe, just maybe, we'll see a Model S covered on the show sometime soon.


Meanwhile, last night, "Top Gear" UK aired a new episode that featured the Electric version of the Mercedes SLS, and pitched it against the 600+bhp SLS "black" ICE version. Generally a good write up for the SLS-E, but Clarkson still managed to say it'll take 20+ hrs to charge and wont do 100 miles, and costs $500k etc. He referred to other EVs and general shortcomings and hinted at certain cars that breakdown on their test track, but distinctly avoided the word 'Tesla' for some reason …

 

[K5ING]

....snip...
Meanwhile, last night, "Top Gear" UK aired a new episode that featured the Electric version of the Mercedes SLS, and pitched it against the 600+bhp SLS "black" ICE version. Generally a good write up for the SLS-E, but Clarkson still managed to say it'll take 20+ hrs to charge and wont do 100 miles, and costs $500k etc. He referred to other EVs and general shortcomings and hinted at certain cars that breakdown on their test track, but distinctly avoided the word 'Tesla' for some reason …

I noticed that too. I would love for James May to get his hands on a Tesla MS to live with for a week and give a fair review of it. Make jokes if he wants to, but don't manufacture stuff like running out of juice (when they actually had 50 miles left) and giving 110V charging times to make it look impractical. May loves high tech stuff...Clarkson just hates EVs in general.

 

[HHHH]

I noticed that too. I would love for James May to get his hands on a Tesla MS to live with for a week and give a fair review of it. Make jokes if he wants to, but don't manufacture stuff like running out of juice (when they actually had 50 miles left) and giving 110V charging times to make it look impractical. May loves high tech stuff...Clarkson just hates EVs in general.

Just finished the episode, it was as close as he could get without saying the word Tesla. I'm a car fanatic, so I understand the propensity to defend ICE cars, I was about to get another one as well, but once you learn about the Model S, and there is a learning curve, the better you are for it. If you invest a little time to learn, knowledge is power.

 

[AustinPowers]

I noticed that too. I would love for James May to get his hands on a Tesla MS to live with for a week and give a fair review of it. Make jokes if he wants to, but don't manufacture stuff like running out of juice (when they actually had 50 miles left) and giving 110V charging times to make it look impractical. May loves high tech stuff...Clarkson just hates EVs in general.

That would be a good idea. Even though I enjoy Clarkson's reviews and comments just for the fun value and insanity factor (I mean this guy is totally nuts), "Captain Slow" a.k.a. James May is still my favorite of the three TG UK presenters. He seems to be the only sane person of the lot and the only one who really knows what he's talking about. Having him do a thorough review of the Model S would be really cool. But with the history between Tesla an TG UK, I have a hard time imagining such a thing happening anytime soon.

 

[K5ING]

That would be a good idea. Even though I enjoy Clarkson's reviews and comments just for the fun value and insanity factor (I mean this guy is totally nuts), "Captain Slow" a.k.a. James May is still my favorite of the three TG UK presenters. He seems to be the only sane person of the lot and the only one who really knows what he's talking about. Having him do a thorough review of the Model S would be really cool. But with the history between Tesla an TG UK, I have a hard time imagining such a thing happening anytime soon.

You should check out May's solo efforts for the BBC's "Open University" efforts as well, such as "James May's 20th Century" series, "James May's Big Ideas" series, and others. He explores all sorts of future-tech for things such as transportation, energy, and so on. They're just as funny as "Top Gear", but actually informative.

 

[AustinPowers]

You should check out May's solo efforts for the BBC's "Open University" efforts as well, such as "James May's 20th Century" series, "James May's Big Ideas" series, and others. He explores all sorts of future-tech for things such as transportation, energy, and so on. They're just as funny as "Top Gear", but actually informative.

Thanks, I will try that. Just found out he also did some series about favorite toys like Lego or Hornby trains, building huge projects with them.
Sounds very fascinating indeed. I have already seen some of the stuff he does on his own (like going to the edge of space in a U2 spyplane, etc.). Absolutely great. May is the balancing force that keeps TG UK watchable despite the other two nutcases ;-)

 

[JRP3]

May is the balancing force that keeps TG UK watchable despite the other two nutcases ;-)

Except he seems to be the most ill informed about the realities of HFCV's and keeps promoting them over EV's.

 

[K5ING]

Except he seems to be the most ill informed about the realities of HFCV's and keeps promoting them over EV's.

Well, to be fair, until the Model S came along, HFCVs seemed to be the better choice. :biggrin:

 

[JRP3]

I'd argue the shortcomings of HFCV's were known long before the Mode S showed up. :wink:

 

[AustinPowers]

I'd argue the shortcomings of HFCV's were known long before the Mode S showed up. :wink:

HFCV's? Ah, hydrogen fuel cell. Well, actually I would prefer an HFCV over a BEV to be honest. At least until batteries are really a feasible alternative (i.e. the range-weight-size-price equation comes in at an acceptable ratio). I'm not sure which will come first. Hydrogen infrastructure or said feasible batteries (which still seem to be quite far out really) - the Model S is a compromise: it is too large, too heavy, and too expensive to really get the EV out of its niche market.

 

[Grendal]

HFCV's? Ah, hydrogen fuel cell. Well, actually I would prefer an HFCV over a BEV to be honest. At least until batteries are really a feasible alternative (i.e. the range-weight-size-price equation comes in at an acceptable ratio). I'm not sure which will come first. Hydrogen infrastructure or said feasible batteries (which still seem to be quite far out really) - the Model S is a compromise: it is too large, too heavy, and too expensive to really get the EV out of its niche market.

It still beats any HFCV because there are absolutely no HFCV's that you can buy. Hydrogen infrastructure is already behind EV's since there are thousands of charging stations around. There are currently MORE Supercharging stations than there are Hydrogen fueling stations. And that happened in less than six months.

The only advantage I can see for personal vehicle HFCV's is having a pump to refuel. The Supercharging stations, in their newest phase, really make pumping compressed hydrogen into your personal car obsolete.

I am not against the alternative choice of HFCVs for the public to have. I'm hoping that they will fill a niche like long haul trucking or buses which doesn't seem coming in BEV form anytime soon.

One of the major reasons I will be buying a Tesla over an HFCV (should they become available to buy) is that I can refuel my vehicle from my home using solar panels. So far, there is no possibility of that convenience with HFCV's.

 

[AustinPowers]

One of the major reasons I will be buying a Tesla over an HFCV (should they become available to buy) is that I can refuel my vehicle from my home using solar panels. So far, there is no possibility of that convenience with HFCV's.

Still, not everyone has the ability to use solar panels for refuelling their cars. Over here, many people would be happy if they had a permanent enclosed parking space for their cars, let alone money and space for solar panels.
And even people who own a house might not be able to put solar panels on their property as, like ours, their house faces the wrong direction or the roof shape/size doesn't offer enough viable solar panel space. (I would love to have solar panels, but it is just not feasible).

 

[Runarbt]

.... I'm hoping that they will[Hydrogenvehicles] fill a niche like long haul trucking or buses which doesn't seem coming in BEV form anytime soon.One of the major reasons I will be buying a Tesla over an HFCV (should they become available to buy) is that I can refuel my vehicle from my home using solar panels. So far, there is no possibility of that convenience with HFCV's.

Electric busses are here already. Smal batteries, quick induction charge at each stopp.. doesnt work for other than citybusses, but they are here. (You did say long haul trucking/busses, they are not here yet though) Translated from norwegian:google translation - tu.no

 

[Kevin Sharpe]

And even people who own a house might not be able to put solar panels on their property as, like ours, their house faces the wrong direction or the roof shape/size doesn't offer enough viable solar panel space. (I would love to have solar panels, but it is just not feasible).

don't accept the conventional wisdom... our NW facing roof generated 2573kWh in the last year while our SE generated 3202kWh... that's in the 'sunny' UK. The reality is that solar is now so cheap that we should all cover every surface with it :smile:

 

[JRP3]

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/2048-Hydrogen-vs-Battery