June 8, 2018 – Testing the electric vehicle infrastructure of Croatia’s islands, the Nikola Tesla EV Rally heads south from Losinj to Zadar.
After two relaxing days in Mali Losinj, it was time for the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2018 to head south on its most demanding day. Not that any day has been demanding on this outstanding rally, with the balance between rally and relaxation perfectly blended by organisers now in their fifth year. Attention to detail and making things happen on time are key to any rally, and it was a pleasure to observe what looked like the effortless organisation from the back seat of the first Tesla off the blocks from Hotel Bellevue.
Close cooperation with the police has been a key theme on the rally, and the police once more provided the escort from the hotel to the ferry terminal.
From Losinj to the ferry on Cres, where the specially chartered ferry crossed to Krk with 100% electric cargo.
There was even time for a little Tesla Roadster charging during the crossing.
From Krk over the bridge to the mainland and Novi Spa and Hotels Resort in Novi Vinodolski, where an announcement was made to the rally participants.
The 2019 Nikola Tesla EV Rally, Croatian edition, will start from Novi Vinodolski, before heading down to Dubrovnik and into Montenegro before finishing in Zagreb. Pushing the electric vehicle story even further south. Croatia had just four charging stations and five registered electric cars in early 2014, the rally’s first year. Now there are more than 300 charging stations in Croatia, 170 of which are due to the core business of the rally organisers, Igor and Tina Kolovrat.
It would appear that the rally participants liked the idea of next year’s starting point… It will be a busy year for the rally organisers in 2019, as they are in discussions to hold additional rallies in both China and Argentina.
The first Tesla supercharger in Croatia was installed in Senj, and it has become a regular feature on the rally over the years.
As the cars took in their top-up juice, a chance to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings, and observe the local fish-cleaning process.
The perfect patriotic Croatian sunshade with the World Cup approaching.
A leisurely drive down the Adriatic coastal road on another perfect day on Croatia’s stunning coast.
Showcasing the beauty of Croatia to its international participants is a key theme of the rally, and it would appear from the many photos posted on social media that they were more than a little impressed.
A chance to get close to some of Croatia’s lesser-known inhabitants.
Having lived on a Dalmatian for 13 years, I could only marvel at the precision and efficiency of the chartered ferries. A line of 45 electric cars would roll up at the terminal, where the waiting ferry would load up and be on its way just five minutes later.
Destination Pag. Someone commented on my Facebook that they had no idea why people went to Pag and it seemed such a boring place. How wrong they were – it blew my mind on my first visit with Gastronaut a couple of months ago.
It was nice to be back at Boskinac once again, the setting for lunch.
Onwards and upwards, and time to get back to the mainland, as we said goodbye to the islands and headed to one of the symbols of the rally – the Greetings to the Sun. One of the many inexplicable things about this beautiful country is how little support this rally gets each year. One of the best promotions of luxury tourism in Croatia, with the Tesla branding which could really push Croatia forward as a green destination with nature at its core, the rally this year only received tourist board support from one town – Porec. Other towns not only did not support the rally, but sought to hinder it, with the organisers receiving a phone call from the Zadar’s mayor’s office a week before the rally began informing them that were not allowed to visit the Greetings to the Sun this year. The reason? None given.
The organisers replied that they had decided to come anyway, with police escort and international journalists, and the mayor’s office was free to stop them if they wanted. The visit went ahead without incident and it was a great promotion both of the rally and of Zadar. Just think what Croatian tourism could achieve if the tourism gurus sound not to hinder but to support successful and innovative private initiatives.
The media coverage this year has been significantly higher, and I am tremendously pleased for Igor and Tina (pictured here), who have given their all to develop such a phenomenal product.
Croatia, the birthplace of Nikola Tesla, welcomes you for a breathtaking green experience.
Time for the last stop of the day, the luxury Falkensteiner Iadera hotel, part of the biggest investment on the Adriatic, and a superb barbecue on offer for the tired but very contented rally participants.
Breakfast the following morning. The Falkensteiner complex is located on a peninsula and offers plenty of space in its green grounds, a lovely little spot and home for two nights.
One of the things I enjoy most about the rally is the spacing between driving and exploring. Most rallies are a race against time, whereas the Nikola Tesla EV Rally has competitive elements such as skills tests and speed races at airports, but the focus is more on experiencing the beauty of this gorgeous country. A rest day with the option of a boat trip to the Kornati islands.
Lazy summer sailing holidays in Dalmatia.
Destination Telascica national park and its amazing salt lake, as well as plenty of time to swim and chill.
Lunch on board the boat, and with a glass or two of wine flowing, the team were in good cheer.
For others, a more relaxing day by the pool at the hotel, and DJ Yesh took a well-earned break from his heroics behind the wheel, ahead of the final full day today, from Zadar to the main square in Zagreb, via the birthplace of Nikola Tesla in Smiljan and Plitvice Lakes.
There was one more optional excursion on return from Kornati, the famous salt pans of Nin, a fascinating tour and explanation of yet one more part of Croatia’s diverse heritage.
The Tesla rally will hit Ban Jelacic square in Zagreb at about 21:00 this evening, for those interested to learn more about the future of electric travel.
Learn more about the Nikola Tesla EV Rally on the official website.
