Tesla Model X crosses Sahara

A Tesla Model X is the first electric vehicle to complete the Budapest-Bamako Rally, crossing the Sahara desert on the way in another EV first.

Team members included Croatian entrepreneurs Saša Cvetojević and Oleg Maštruko driving the Model X, and Czech Tomas Kovicka operating the support vehicle, electrek reports.

Last month, they drove over 8600 km in 16 days to successfully complete the rally, documenting it on their Facebook page.

It’s one of the world’s largest amateur rallies, and the feat shows range anxiety isn’t a real problem in most countries with charging infrastructure, electrek says.

“But they are still plenty of places where charging infrastructure or even decent road infrastructure are non-existent.

“That’s why this is an impressive feat accomplished by ‘Team Tesla Powered by RWE’.”

The team says the EV performed remarkably well in the conditions.

It wasn’t quite a zero-emission trip, as the team had to partly rely on a gas generator to recharge the Tesla.

They used the local grid where possible, but it was often far from ideal.

A DC fast-charger with the Tesla CHAdeMO adapter was used at one stage, installed by the Tesla Club Morocco.

Tesla is not officially in the country yet, so a local Supercharger network hasn’t been built. No service is offered for Tesla cars there either, but some residents are bringing the EVs in anyway.