A Tesla invasion of Croatian islands on June 4, 2018, as the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2018 continues.
They call it the quietest rally in the world. They should, perhaps, call it the most relaxed as well. A 10:00 start for the second full day of the rally was very friendly indeed.
This year’s rally, a nice mix of returning competitors and many new, is moving south from Istria, and it was goodbye to Hotel Lone in Rovinj, and time to explore a little of Istria before taking a ferry to the island of Cres.
Unlike most rallies, where the main aim is completing the route faster than the rest, the Tesla rally aims to promote the beauty of Croatia and the potential of e-mobility in the country, and the competitive part is left to the skill and speed tests in controlled environments, such as several airports on the route.
As such it was possible to take in the majesty of Istria’s famous hilltop towns. Towns like Motovun, above.
Istria is a true natural paradise, and the journey through the woods and vineyards of Green Istria, to our first stop at Buzet, was gorgeous.
Finally Buzet came into view. This was the heart of truffle country, but there were plenty of other attractions to enjoy as well.
Among them was the Aura distillery, famous for its wonderful range of rakijas and jams.
Everything made on site using local products – an impressive operation.
And a chance for my favourite Tesla chauffeur, DJ Yesh, to relax with his girl after a hard morning behind the wheel.
Although the rally is dominated by Teslas, who make up about 90% of the vehicles, there are also two electric scooters on the rally, from Croatian firm, Dok Ing.
It was time to bid farewell to Istria and head to the first of the Croatian islands on the rally – Cres. And how better to fill a Jadrolinija ferry in the land of Nikola Tesla than with Teslas?
A little police assistance helped make the Tesla disembarking an impressive show.
Next stop, ACI Marina in Cres, for a spot of lunch, and rather a pleasant spot (and bite to eat) it was.
And a reminder of just how much progress has been made with e-mobility infrastructure in the last few years. As mentioned in yesterday’s opening article, there were just five registered electric vehicles and four charging stations in Croatia at the beginning of 2014, when the concept of the rally took hold. Fresh from being the first man to cross the Sahara in an electric vehicle on the recent Budapest to Bamako Rally, Sasa Cvetojevic had three to choose from at the Cres Marina.
Island hopping comes in various formats, but none could be simpler than the short hop from Cres to Losinj, as this Tesla Roadster can testify.
And the final stop of the day and home for two nights, Hotel Bellevue in Mali Losinj.
DJ Yesh swapped his driving duties for his decks, and a beach party followed. The end of another beautiful day on the rally.
The day was not over for everyone, however, and tribute must be paid to the support staff, who have been phenomenal in their efforts to keep the rally on schedule, as well as all the cars charged overnight, no mean feat when you have 45 cars to charge on a Croatian island.
With the relaxed pace of life on the rally, and a key emphasis on discovering the beauty and magic of Croatia, the following day’s activities were confined to relaxing before an evening speed race at Losinj Airport.
For some it was a little water sports, others soaking up some sun.
And a little waterfront fine dining never hurt anyone.
And so to the speed racing at Losinj Airport, which looks something like this from the passenger seat.
This year’s Nikola Tesla EV Rally has attracted much more media coverage than previously, both nationally and internationally – here are two reports on Croatian national television, for example.
The rally continues tomorrow, with four islands in one day, a visit to the Greeting to the Sun in Zadar, ending up at luxury Falkensteiner Iadera. You can learn more about the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2018 on the official website.
