For 10 days in Might the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2023 celebrated its tenth anniversary by showcasing inexperienced mobility whereas presenting the fantastic thing about Croatia to the rally individuals. From the charming seaside village of Rovinj on the Istrian peninsula to the historic metropolis of Cut up in Dalmatia, the contestants may check their driving abilities, parade their excellent and silent electrical automobiles and expertise the very best of Croatia’s cultural heritage, pure magnificence and enogastronomy.
Croatia is the very best of each worlds
“Croatia is the very best of each worlds. Like Switzerland, it has an attention-grabbing historical past, stunning nature, good meals and plenty of water. Switzerland doesn’t have sea entry, however massive lakes like right here. Nevertheless, this lake may be very particular. It’s our first time in Croatia, and we’re actually stunned that it’s so good,” Marie and Paul Meeusen from Switzerland exclaim enthusiastically. Like 95% of the rally contestants, that is their first time visiting Croatia, and they’re delighted by its pure magnificence, panoramic roads and native delicacies.
The primary, however not the final: it solely took Marie and Paul sooner or later’s stunning drive via Austria and Italy to get to the Nikola Tesla EV Rally’s start line in Rovinj from their dwelling in Switzerland. They’re prepared to affix the rally once more subsequent 12 months – and even to go to Croatia once more within the meantime, to discover extra of the nation.
Blown away by the wonder
That the fantastic thing about Croatia is addictive, one other participant can attest to. Michael Schmid likes to compete within the rally: “It’s my third time to Croatia – and the third time I’ve participated within the rally, so the rally is how I acquired to know Croatia. And I’m impressed. Each time I come again, additionally this 12 months, we’re travelling in a unique a part of the nation and I’m amazed. It’s spectacular. It’s an incredible solution to get to know the nation, the folks, and also you get to see hidden spots, just like the one behind me, which I’ve by no means heard of, and I’m blown away.”
Michael stands along with his again to Modro Jezero; Blue Lake, as he encourages others to affix the rally. All through the day the rally contestants have been shifting via an ever-changing Croatian countryside and have drove across the island of Pelješac. After this go to to the third largest sinkhole on the planet, the opponents return to their 5-star lodge in UNESCO World Heritage metropolis of Cut up to get pleasure from one more delight of Croatia: its meals and wine.
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Pleasant People and Extraordinary Vehicles
Two of the opposite contestants, Anita Lučić from Sweden and John Elvins from the UK, are additionally loopy concerning the Croatian delicacies: “The meals is superb, the seafood particularly,” they declare, after they’ve talked concerning the completely different elements of Croatia they’ve skilled through the rally. When requested what they give thought to the rally, they’re unambiguous: “Wonderful. You’ve acquired to do it. You meet folks from throughout Europe. And Croatian individuals are actually pleasant.”
Hospitality, friendliness and meals are the three issues they like greatest about Croatia, and they’re additionally stunned how good the Might climate is on the Adriatic coast. John has pushed his Tesla all the way in which right down to the Croatian summer time temperatures from the UK, and has had an opportunity to take a look at the opposite vehicles within the rally as nicely: “A few of the vehicles are fairly uncommon as nicely, a few the early Teslas are right here. There’s a mannequin X that has run greater than 300.000 kilometres, which is superb. It has solely misplaced 20 kilometres in complete since new.”
That’s excellent news for these of the contenders that drive a Tesla: they’ve had a number of possibilities to check their very own and their vehicles’ driving abilities through the rally, and it’s all the time constructive to listen to that your favorite automotive has many miles left within the motor. As a result of which means, that you may drive it once more within the Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2024.
John Elvins got here in second on this 12 months’s Nikola Tesla EV Rally, and Michael Schmid completed in third place. They had been each outrun by Dinko Samardžić who completed first in his Renault Zoe. As a result of although the rally is called after the well-known Croat Nikola Tesla, everybody with an electrical automobile – and a way of journey – can be part of.
The Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2023 was supported by HTZ (Croatian Vacationer Board), FZOEU (Environmental Safety and Vitality Effectivity Fund), native municipalities and vacationer boards resembling TZ Šibenik, TZ Zadar, TZ Vodnjan, TZ Grožnjan, metropolis of Crikvenica and others.