David Clark-Bell

Richard Hammond has been talking about electric cars again, and some of his claims are ridiculous. The former Top Gear presenter has suggested that keeping old petrol cars running on synthetic fuels would be better than switching to electric vehicles. But let’s look at what the evidence actually says. 1. “A £45,000 electric Kia will be worth £10,000 next year.” That’s almost 78% depreciation in just 12 months. Hammond provides no evidence for this extreme example, and there is no evidence we can find of this happening with any electric car depreciating this much in 12 months. And just because newer technology becomes available doesn’t mean existing EVs suddenly become obsolete. 2. “Synthetic petrol could keep 1.4 billion cars running.” Technically true, but completely ignores the enormous amount of electricity required to manufacture synthetic fuels. Producing hydrogen, combining it with captured CO2 and burning the resulting fuel in an engine is far less efficient than using electricity directly in an EV. Anyone with even the basic knowledge as an interviewer should have shut down this claim immediately. Synthetic fuels have potential, but powering billions of everyday cars with them is another matter entirely. (Source: Transport & Environment, e-fuels lifecycle and efficiency analysis) 3. “Electric vehicles will hand global power entirely to China.” China dominates battery manufacturing, but that doesn’t mean electrification hands it global power. Battery supply chains can be diversified, and electricity can be generated domestically. Meanwhile, petrol and diesel vehicles remain dependent on continuous supplies of oil from Russia and Saudi Arabia. (Source: International Energy Agency, Global EV Outlook 2025) 4. “Restoring an old Ford Fiesta and running it on synthetic petrol is the greenest option.” Keeping an existing vehicle running can make environmental sense, especially for somebody covering very few miles. But claiming a restored petrol Fiesta running on synthetic fuel is the greenest option without comparing its lifecycle emissions is misleading. Research published in 2025 found that new battery-electric cars in Europe produce approximately 73% fewer greenhouse gas emissions over their lifetime than comparable petrol cars, including manufacturing. That doesn’t automatically mean replacing every old car is greener, but it certainly challenges Hammond’s sweeping conclusion. (Source: International Council on Clean Transportation, July 2025) 5. “Electric cars don’t work for everyone.” Finally, something we can agree on. Not everybody has access to home charging, and EVs aren’t suitable for every application. But nobody needs to spend £45,000 on a brand-new EV. Affordable used electric cars are available, and they don’t suddenly stop working because a newer model has been released. Here’s my problem with Hammond’s argument… He compares an extremely expensive EV with an old petrol car running on a synthetic fuel that isn’t currently available at an affordable mass-market price. That’s hardly a fair comparison, and is designed to be misleading. Electric vehicles aren’t perfect. There are legitimate challenges surrounding affordability, charging infrastructure and battery supply chains. But the evidence consistently shows that EVs are significantly more energy-efficient than combustion vehicles and generally produce substantially fewer lifetime greenhouse gas emissions. Hammond says motorists shouldn’t blindly follow the narrative surrounding electric vehicles. I agree. But perhaps people shouldn’t blindly follow the opinions of a famous petrolhead trying to stay relevant either.