Everyone knows that James May is part of the ex-Top Gear and The Grand Tour trio consisting of himself, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. But those who know extensively about all three know that May is more intrigued by electric vehicles, as he formerly had a blue Tesla Model S.
But he now owns a different blue Tesla, a Tesla Model 3, and he decided to share on his YouTube channel about 12 things he hates about driving this specific car. Having owned EVs before and, being James May, he recently decided to share some complaints about his Tesla.
In the video, May runs through a series of small but notable annoyances he has discovered during everyday use, explaining the technological quirks and practical frustrations he has noticed after living with the electric sedan for some time.
Too Much Technology
A frequent theme when May discusses his dislikes is the influence of the touchscreen and user interface. For example, he criticises the lane-departure system because it must be manually disabled every time the car is driven.
He is also frustrated by the heavy reliance on the touchscreen for many functions, arguing that drivers have to look at it while operating the car. This extends to adjusting the mirrors, which requires navigating several menus, and even opening the glove box, which must also be done through the screen.
May is similarly unimpressed with the camera-based automatic windscreen wipers and the adaptive headlight system, both of which he believes are unnecessarily complicated.
For example, he criticises the lane-departure system because it must be manually disabled every time the car is driven. He is also frustrated by the heavy reliance on the touchscreen for many functions, arguing that drivers have to look at it while operating the car. This extends to adjusting the mirrors, which requires navigating several menus, and even opening the glove box, which must also be done through the screen.
May is similarly unimpressed with the camera-based automatic windscreen wipers and the adaptive headlight system, both of which he believes are unnecessarily complicated.
Physical Controls
Some of May’s criticisms focus on the car’s physical controls and design choices. One of his biggest irritations is the use of steering-wheel buttons for the indicators instead of a traditional stalk, which he finds harder to use while driving.
The high-beam control is another minor annoyance because it requires holding the button slightly longer than expected. He also dislikes the warning sound made by the automatic boot, saying the beeping noise is unnecessary and irritating.
Elon Musk and EV Impracticalities
Other complaints relate more broadly to the experience of owning the car.
May notes that some people associate Tesla owners with Elon Musk, with some telling him, “Oh, you’re buying a Tesla. You’re supporting Elon Musk. He’s a fascist.” He stated he purchased the car “to support the engineers who designed it.”
He also points out that charging an electric car takes significantly longer than refuelling a petrol vehicle, something he finds inconvenient on longer journeys.
Finally, he criticises Tesla’s limited paint options, claiming the cars only come in “really boring colours” such as white, black, blue, red and grey.