Again, you’re entirely missing the point, namely that they decieved the viewer about how this came to be, not whether it was inconvenient to run out of charge.
No, you're missing the point that it's a television show. As such, things must be done in a predictable, safe, and visually appealing manner. They can't have the crew sputtering to a stop on a blind crest or busy highway.
The show you want would go like this:
Clarkson: "Welcome to Top Gear. Tonight, our challenge is to drive electric cars from X to Y!
hosts climb into cars
May: "Oh, the on-board computer tells me I can't go that far."
Clarkson: "And on that bombshell, thank you for watching!"
That version communicates exactly the same point, but with zero entertainment.
Your SCUBA example is ludicrous, and completely the opposite of what happened here. i.e. increasing danger.