This Tesla Model 3 just set a new EV “Cannonball Run” record

Alex Roy sets EV Cannonball Run record in a Tesla Model 3

A blue Tesla Model 3 unit with Aero Wheels has just set a new EV Cannonball Run record, traveling from California all the way to New York in 50 hours, 16 minutes and 32 seconds.

The 2,860-mile trip was pulled off by automotive journalist Alex Roy, along with Model 3 owner, Daniel Zorrilla, as noted in a report from The Drive. The pair started their journey on December 28, 2017, departing from the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach, California and arriving at the Red Ball Garage in Manhattan, or a route otherwise recognized as the official course for a Cannonball Run.

Considering that Roy and Zorrilla did the cross-country run in the dead of winter, the two-day journey also ended up becoming an intense real-world test for the Model 3’s reliability and capability to survive in cold weather. The vehicle performed admirably during the record-setting journey, though Roy did tell his followers on Twitter that extreme cold “negatively affects” the Model 3. Roy asserted, however, that warmth also benefits the car. 

Regardless of Roy’s observations about the negative effects of extreme cold to the electric car, however, the Model 3’s feat is undeniable. Tesla’s newest vehicle, after all, not only reached its destination without any problems along the way; Roy and Zorrilla’s Model 3 also broke the records achieved by another Model 3 and multiple Model S.

The last Cannonball Run attempt in a Tesla involved a mysterious orange-wrapped Model 3 that was spotted driving across the country last October. The unofficial, unannounced attempt was reported by Teslarati during that time, and practically everything about the journey, from the vehicle’s owner to the specs of the Model 3 involved, were unknown. All that was stated then was that the electric car finished the run in 51 hours, 17 minutes.

Before the unannounced Model 3 Cannonball Run back in October, the record for the fastest EV to cross the United States was held by Jordan Hart and Bradly D’Souza, who finished the epic journey in 51 hours, 47 minutes in a Model S 85D. Unlike the orange Model 3’s attempt, Hart and D’Souza’s Cannonball Run was well documented, especially since the feat was accomplished as a way to raise awareness for victims of human trafficking.

What is particularly noteworthy is the fact that the Long Range Model 3 has already broken the Cannonball Run record for EVs twice in a row, beating out the times set by its larger, more expensive sibling. Interestingly, both the orange-clad Model 3 last October, as well as Roy and Zorrilla’s blue Model 3 this December, were both equipped with Aero Wheels, which is rumored to provide a 10% increase in driving range.

Simon Alvarez: Simon is a reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday.
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