Like most television personalities, Jeremy Clarkson is quite a divisive character, and is known for his work with cars just as much as his polarising opinions on large topics.
Just recently a video was posted to DriveTribe's YouTube channel, which was reportedly filmed back in 2019, and shows Clarkson answering a bunch of car-related questions that were sent in by fans.
During the video, Clarkson covers topics such as his favourite non-performance cars, and the car that he most regrets selling (which was a BMW 3.0-litre CSL for those wondering). He also gets asked about electric cars.
Now obviously Clarkson has driven almost everything that the world has to offer, so would know electric cars inside and out, and his Grand Tour co-host James May liked the Tesla Model S enough to buy one himself, so surely Jezza would be a fan, right?
It turns out that May was on his own with that choice as Clarkson proceeds to launch into a rant about how he prefers rock to rap, and V8s to batteries.
“I will never have an electric car. I can see that people like them and that they’re interesting [but] I just like the sound of a V8,” he said. “I never want to drive a car that hasn’t got a nice sound coming out of the front or the back, and petrol does that. I’m nearly 60, I can drive petrol cars 'til I die.
“I just wouldn’t buy an electric car. I’ve driven them, I see that there’s an appeal — I quite like the BMW i8. Call me a dinosaur, but I prefer Pink Floyd to Stormzy, and I prefer a Ford Mustang to a Tesla.”
Funnily enough, Clarkson ended up stuck with a Mini Electric throughout the last lockdown that took place in the UK. And unsurprisingly, it turns out that he isn't a fan of it, either.
“Yes, when you put your foot down at low speed there is instant and dramatic thrust,” he said. “But before your passenger has time to say ‘wow’, it’s over. In this respect the power delivery from an electric motor is like the power delivery you get from a diesel. There’s one big lump, and then it’s gone.”