April 16,2023 - The quietest rally in the world is back! The Nikola Tesla EV Rally 2023 will kick off from Rovinj and take in the top sites of the Adriatic, but oh so quietly. Check out the full programme.
Imagine a rally where the mother of Mr Modern Tesla, Elon Musk, drove a Tesla around a country where the original Nikola Tesla was born (Tesla was born in Smiljan, in what is modern-day Croatia), as Maye Musk did back in 2015.
Imagine a rally around Croatia where the first-ever buyer of the Rimac Concept One took place in his new $1 million toy. You can read my interview with Paul Runge about the whole experience here.
Imagine a rally where Mate Rimac rocks up and takes part in the speed trials in his own hypercar.
There is no need to imagine. One of the coolest - and certainly the quietest - rallies in Croatia is back as one of the highlights of the Croatian tourism calendar in May. This year's edition will see a stream of Tesla and other electric vehicles on a luxury 10-day rally through the best spots of the Adriatic coast, starting from Hotel Lone in Rovinj and ending at Iadera Falkensteiner Punta Skala in Zadar.
Having done a large part of the rally a few years ago, I can confirm that - at least in my opinion - it is one of the top things happening in Croatian tourism. So much so in fact that I included it in my 10 things that Croatia does better than anywhere else video (see below).
This year's programme in full:
"NIKOLA TESLA EV RALLY CROATIA 2023"
DAY 1: 19.05.2023. Rovinj – hotel Lone (Address: Luje Adamovića 31, 52210 Rovinj)
- 18.30 h meeting in “Night Club” conference room in hotel Lone, gathering and official introduction of team, route and schedule
- 19.30h Dinner
DAY 2: 20.05.2023. Rovinj city center - Vodnjan
- 11.00 h start from hotel Lone, arrival in the city center of Rovinj – Welcome and official start announcement by Mayor of Rovinj
- Visit to Vodnjan
- Chiavalon oil factory
- Wine tasting and lunch in local winery
- Hotel
DAY 3: 21.05.2023 Vrsar Airport – Grožnjan – Buzet
- 10.30h start from Lone hotel to a private airport for the sport part of the program
- Lunch
- Visit to Grožnjan and Buzet
DAY 4: 22.05.2023. Hotel Lone – Opatija - Split
- 09.00 h Start from hotel Lone
- Charging stop in Senj
- Charging stop in Zadar
- Arrival hotel Le Meridien Lav (Address: Grljevacka 2A, Podstrana, 21312, Split
DAY 5: 23.05.2023.
- 09.00h Start from hotel Le Meridien Lav – drive to Island Pelješac
- Drive over Peljšac bridge
- Lunch on Pelješac
- Visit to Red and Blue Lakes in Imotski. Red Lake is known for its numerous caves and remarkably high cliffs, reaching over 241 metres above normal water level and continuing below the water level. The total explored depth of this sinkhole is approximately 530 metres with a volume of roughly 25–30 million cubic meters, thus it is the third largestsinkhole in the world.
- Dinner
DAY 6:24.05.2023 Split–Trogir-Zadar
- 10.00 h start from the hotel Le Meridien Lav
- Visit and lunch Trogir
- Arrival and dinner Iadera Falkensteiner Hotel &Spa Iadera (Addres: Resort Punta Skala, 23231, Petrčane)
DAY 7: 25.05.2023. Sea and surprise day
- Time to relax and enjoy!
DAY 8: 26.05.2023. Šibenik – NP Krka - Skradin
- 10.00h Drive to city of Šibenik and National park Krka
- Ante Šupuk and engineer Vjekoslav Meischner, Šibenik had electrical lighting before many European cities, including Vienna, Budapest, Rome, London and others.
- Lunch
- Visit to Old town Šibenik Sv.Mihovil fortress. The Medieval St. Mihovil Fortress was erected on a sixty meters high and steep rocky hill that dominates the surrounding waters. Under its walls, Šibenik evolved - the oldest native Croatian town on the Adriatic. Barone Fortress was built in 1646 on Vidakuša, the 80 meter-high hill above the city. Along with the other three fortresses in Šibenik, it represents a unique defence system that resisted the enemies of the city for centuries. Today, it has an exceptional monumental value recognized across Europe.
- 20.00h Dinner
DAY 9: 27.05.2023 Zadar
- 11.00h start
- 11.45–12.30h sport part of the program
- Official ceremony in the center of Zadar, welcome by Mayor of Zadar (lunch)
- Lunch and visit to old town Zadar
DAY 10: 28.05.2023. Iadera Falkensteiner Petrčane - FINISH
- 11.00h check out
- Charging on route between hotels will be on SuC in different groups and in hotels will be organized directly on hotel power plants with our equipment, our charging crew will set up cables and assist with connecting and make sure everyone is charged for the next day activities. All SuConour route have CCS for Model 3 charging.
- First day 19.05.2023. on our “introduction meeting” all details regarding route, charging and schedule will be presented and every team will receive official “road book” which contains“ all you need to know” info.
