Electric atmosphere as Top Gear stars film in Telford - with pictures
It has showcased some of the most expensive and feature-riddled cars on the market.
Now electric vehicles took centre stage when the team behind BBC's Top Gear, including the brand new presenting team of Paddy McGuinness, Andrew Flintoff and Chris Harris, stopped off in the region for filming for their next series.
The trio attended Telford International Centre yesterday to film a section with their own custom-made electric vehicles. It was shot as part of the Energy and Rural Business Show.
Each vehicle was a never seen before custom-made model and the show was the only place the vehicles will be available to view until the Top Gear episode is aired later in the year.
All three presenters arrived in style in their vehicles in the afternoon after earlier taking part in filming for the episode at a venue nearby.
Paddy and Freddie then took it in turns to talk-up their own vehicles to visitors to the show with the help of special guests, Countdown presenter Nick Hewer and darts legend Bobby George.
Just when you thought you'd seen it all on Top Gear, Bobby was even asked to help charge Freddie's vehicle by throwing darts at a dartboard.
Members of the audience were also invited to participate in the show and get selfies with the celebrities.
During filming, Paddy, who also got members of the audience to take part in a game of tombola and car emissions-themed Play Your Cards Right, said: "I'm so glad you have come out this afternoon because I am going to introduce you to the future of electric sports cars."
Freddie, who also got members of the audience to exercise to help charge his vehicle, said: "In a matter of minutes you will be thanking me. This is the first in the automotive sector. Today, in Telford, I am going to show you a first of its kind – a car which makes you green which at the same time makes you lean.
"This is a 'I was there moment'. It is up there with the moon landing and Love Island.
"Do you really want to plug a car in every night to charge? We can charge this car. The energy transfers into the batteries which takes the car anywhere."
Event director David Jacobmeyer said: "Having Top Gear, including the new presenting trio of Freddie Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, at the show is brilliant.
"There's been a lot of excitement. There's been a lot of questions about autographs and getting face time with them.
"To have such a well-known brand and programme to support the show is an amazing thing.
"As luck would have it they had already made the decision soon to film an episode of Top Gear about electric vehicles fairly close by."
The two-day Energy and Rural Business Show is aimed at people looking to maximise profitable and sustainable land use, particular for farmers and landowners.
It brought together the Energy Now Expo, celebrating 10 years of success, the Rural Business Expo and the Low-Emission Vehicles Expo.
It featured an exhibition, a one-to-one renewables advice clinic, and expert speakers talking about solar, hydropower, AD and biogas, wind, low carbon vehicles and machinery, biomass, heat pumps and finance.
Mr Jacobmeyer added: "The idea behind the show is to showcase opportunities to farmers and landowners in renewable energy, energy efficiency, low carbon systems and vehicles, and further diversification opportunities. This includes rural tourism, cider producing or alpaca farming to name a few.
"Renewable energy in farms is growing. I think the figure is about 40 per cent of farms have invested in renewables. It has provided farmers with a much needed alternative income stream. They are so reliant on things like weather and commodity prices. It is making sure they future proof their business by making sure they are not just reliant on those things.
"We're not talking about replacing existing farming operations here but integrating them into new ones. It is about ensuring they have a decent living and keeping their business in the black.
"We've always liked Telford. Obviously Shropshire is very agricultural and it's important to us that our visitor base can get to the show easily. Obviously farmers are very busy people and it is difficult for them to take time off from the farm.
"It's great to see with all the confusion and indecision floating around the country at the moment farmers are still coming to the show to understand their options. I hope people will be able to move forward and understand the rules of the game."
