Nearly 20 years after their legendary car-versus-plane races on TV, Richard Hammond and James May have reignited the format for the electric era.
In a new video for DriveTribe, they race across southern England—Hammond in the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, and May piloting the Pipistrel Velis Electro, one of the first commercially available electric aircraft.
The race spanned from Henstridge Airfield to Dunsfold Aerodrome, a 174-km journey for the car, or 129 km by air.
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While Hammond had the edge off the line with the Taycan’s 1,108 PS, 0–100 km/h in 2.3 seconds, and a 555 km range, May’s plane had fewer obstacles—no traffic or speed limits. However, its limited 50-minute flight time meant a planned charging stop at Thruxton Aerodrome.
Despite the Taycan’s cutting-edge Active Ride suspension and rapid charging (10–80% in 18 minutes), the Velis Electro enjoyed a strong tailwind, keeping the race neck and neck. With impressive handling, road comfort, and dynamic capability,
Hammond pushed the Taycan to its limits, even using the panoramic roof to search the skies for his rival.
The head-to-head was genuine and thrilling, filled with classic banter and razor-thin margins—an electric-era throwback to their Top Gear roots. Who won? Watch the full race on DriveTribe’s YouTube channel to find out.
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