Tesla Sues BBC's "Top Gear"

[qwk]

I know that somebody will compare price, BUT you also have to take into account the carbon fiber, aluminum chassis, superior drivetrain.........
The Leaf is basically a Versa with batteries.

Hah - if it's so easy to to produce a 100 mile EV for $33k - why isn't Tesla doing it yet?

Oh wait - that's right. Because they KNOW it's hard to do, which is why they're focusing on the high-end market where margins are higher and a low volume EV from a small manufacturer can absorb the costs.

More like an 80 mile EV, and you do know that they are losing money on each one?

Tesla is a small startup with plans of going from the top down. Very smart move because in order to produce cheap cars you have to have volume. To have volume, you need major cash.

 

[evnow]

Musk says almost every EU investor in the company has asked about this show in Top gear. So anyonw who claims this is all in jest and everyone knows about that is not paying attention.

Also, it was reported that the scripts seen by Tesla folk befor ethe show was filmed called for pushing the car. So, it was definitely a setup.

Obviously, Top Gear guys have no integrity.

BBC, shame on you.

update :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371334/Top-Gear-sued-Tesla-Motors-rigged-electric-car-test.html#ixzz1I2BifIkI

Presenter Jeremy Clarkson concluded: ‘It’s just a shame that in the real world it doesn’t seem to work.’

Now Tesla – a Californian company that builds its cars in the UK – is claiming defamation and malicious falsehood, saying the scenes were faked. Top Gear’s allegations that the brakes had also broken were false, it claimed.

The company said it became aware of the staging of the scene when its UK director of sales and marketing saw two scripts before the car had even been driven.

One of the scripts concluded with virtually the same pay-off line used by Clarkson. ‘It’s just a shame that in the real world it absolutely doesn’t work,’ it read.

So, what is it ? It doesn't work in the "real world" or Top Gear's fake world ?

 

[evnow]

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110405/AUTO01/104050411/Tesla-CEO-calls-‘Top-Gear’-Roadster-review-‘completely-phony’#ixzz1Iz7QJuBc

Tesla held an initial public offering in June, and the "Top Gear" show was an issue during its road show to sell the offering, particularly in Europe.

"For European investors, every single one, except one, specifically asked us why our car broke down on 'Top Gear,'" Musk said. "It was (messed) up."

Musk said "Top Gear" didn't give the Roadster a fair chance.

"They literally wrote the script at 'Top Gear' before we even gave them the cars," he said.

 

[DaveEV]

More like an 80 mile EV

Let me get this straight - you use the LA4 range numbers for the Tesla but but the EPA range numbers for the Tesla? Take your blinders off! Real life range in the Tesla is more like 175 miles - which is coincidentally very similar to the 73 mile EPA range and what most people here are reporting without resorting to extra careful driving. Last time I checked that is closer to 2.4x range instead of 3x which is an exaggeration like all your other claims.

and you do know that they are losing money on each one?

Where'd you get that figure? Because I'm sure if you did your accounting the same way, you'd find that Tesla is losing plenty of money as well. Or making money on each unit. Accounting is a funny thing. Kind of like statistics.

Tesla is a small startup with plans of going from the top down. Very smart move because in order to produce cheap cars you have to have volume. To have volume, you need major cash.

Good thing Tesla is a small startup producing a small number of cars and Nissan is a major manufacturer with major cash, then. BTW - if you want to talk volume - Nissan has produced more LEAFs in 3 months than Tesla has produced EVs in 3 years!

Look - I'm a big fan of Tesla (you should see what car graces the background of my desktop - it sure ain't the LEAF) - but you're not exactly objective here.

 

[qwk]

I was comparing overall real world numbers. Yes you can get 100 miles in a Leaf in warm weather if you charge to 100%.

Unless the temperature is below freezing, the roadster will get the advertised range in range mode if the speed is kept 55mph and under. The Leaf will suffer horribly in cold weather even above freezing. ESPECIALLY if you use accesories.

The tesla gets around 189-196 mpc in standard mode(similar to charging the leaf to 80%) when new.

Let's face it, the Leaf while a great car, has dismal range compared to Tesla. If Nissan was smart, they would have given it 100 miles "real world range".

I love Ev's, but give credit where credit is due. I'm growing more frustrated with Nissan over all of the problems they have had, and the way they have dealt with them. Some of the things I hear EV haters say are made much worse by Nissans poor management.

 

[DaveEV]

The Leaf will suffer horribly in cold weather even above freezing.

Source please. Otherwise you are again just spreading FUD. Kinda like "Top Gear" did about the roadster.

If Nissan was smart, they would have given it 100 miles "real world range".

Assuming that "real world" means EPA test numbers, that would require about 37% more battery capacity, or ~38 kWh instead of a ~28 kWh battery pack. That would push the price up significantly. If the LEAF was $40k - it would never sell in the quantities that Nissan is aiming for. The capacity will get there - but if you want it today, you will pay for it. Even the Model S due out next year with a "160 mile" pack - that will probably be only around 115 mile "real world" range with a ~42 kWh battery pack - and that car starts at $55k!

Some of the things I hear EV haters say are made much worse by Nissans poor management.

Funny - I heard the same thing when Tesla was rolling out the Roadster and their 2-gear transmission fiasco, big layoffs in the months before launch and repeated delays in delivery. The BMS/cooling/heating system still sucks down as much juice as a fridge to keep the laptop cells in the proper temperature range when the car is just sitting in the garage!

 

[LeafTalk]

Why all the Tesla hatred?

I thought all us EV enthusiasts were supposed to stick together to give the industry a fighting chance.

TopGear may be a fun show but their bias against EVs is apparent. It doesn't help their case that they are sponsored by an oil company: http://vfactor.topgear.com/pages/this-month/January.aspx

 

[AbbeyC07]

Electric cars are one of the several sacred cows that television show “Top Gear” isn't afraid of lambasting. The greatly popular motoring show on the BBC has gotten into yet another quarrel with an electric car maker by slamming the Nissan Motors Leaf. Top Gear starts a new electric car quarrel over Nissan Leaf. When we start to say negative things to other people, for instance, we may be sued of defamation. Regarding the issue of the presenter of the Top Gear, he must face the consequences because from the start, he must do his work in a right way.

 

[LEAFfan]

I was comparing overall real world numbers. Yes you can get 100 miles in a Leaf in warm weather if you charge to 100%.

I usually charge to 80% and without A/C, can get 100 miles fairly easily (5.9m/kW h).

 

[evnow]

Unless the temperature is below freezing, the roadster will get the advertised range in range mode if the speed is kept 55mph and under. The Leaf will suffer horribly in cold weather even above freezing. ESPECIALLY if you use accesories.

Welcome back qwk, we all know you are biased against Leaf.

How many m/kwh Roadster gets in cold weather when using heater ?

 

[qwk]

Unless the temperature is below freezing, the roadster will get the advertised range in range mode if the speed is kept 55mph and under. The Leaf will suffer horribly in cold weather even above freezing. ESPECIALLY if you use accesories.

Welcome back qwk, we all know you are biased against Leaf.

How many m/kwh Roadster gets in cold weather when using heater ?

Sorry, not biased, I just tell it like it is. If nissan had made the roadster and Tesla produced the leaf, I would be saying the same thing.

The roadster gets much better range in cold climates due to pack heating. On the other hand, the Leaf gets a bit better efficiency in hot weather, due to much needed pack cooling for the tesla.