Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has claimed that electric cars are “bloody dangerous” after several fires involving electric cars.
Writing for the Sun, Mr Clarkson wrote about several incidents involving electric cars and electric bikes catching fire.
Mr Clarkson’s comments come as debate grows over whether electric cars are the right way forward for motoring.
In recent months, celebrities such as Giles Coren and Rowan Atkinson have expressed scepticism about the vehicles.
Mr Coren has gone so far as to sell his electric car but said in an interview with the BBC that he has not ruled out buying one in the future.
In his column, Mr Clarkson claimed that electric car enthusiasts will claim that the cars “continue to make sense”.
He added: “True if you’re a weak-brained, bleeding-heart liberal.”
As well as launching a salvo of criticism against electric cars, Mr Clarkson also attacked electric bikes.
He wrote that “a fully charged e-bike contains the same explosive energy as six hand grenades” but provided no source for this claim.
As an example of the dangers of electric cars, Mr Clarkson referenced an unfolding crisis in the North Sea.
Earlier this week, it was found that an electric car could have been to blame for an explosion on board an 18,000-tonne cargo ship.
The fire, which has reportedly claimed the life of a crew member occurred off the coast of the Netherlands.
According to local media, the fire was allegedly started when an electric car suffered a fault on board.
The ship in question, the Fremantle Highway, was reportedly carrying around 3,000 cars when the fire started as the ship made her way from Germany to Egypt.
Of these 3,000, just 25 were electric cars. Shoei Kisen Kaisha, who owns the ship, said there was a “good chance the fire started with electric cars”.
They added: “We are now trying to extinguish the fire in co-operation with the local authorities of the Netherlands, the salvor, and the ship management company”
According to some recent reports, the fire on board the ship has allegedly lessened in intensity.
In a statement, the Dutch waterboard Rijkswaterstaat said temperatures on the ship had dropped significantly.
They added: “Rijkswaterstaat is considering different scenarios for the next steps.”
Earlier this year, the International Maritime Organisation said it was planning new regulations for ships carrying electric cars.
