EV first: How a Tesla Model 3 won the Targa South West rally

The Driven

A Tesla Model 3 has claimed the winning position – in what is thought to be a first for an electric vehicle – in the renowned Targa 130 category at the recent Targa South West rally race in Western Australia, against a lineup of fossil-fuelled contenders including a Porsche 911.

It’s not the first time an electric vehicle has proven its worth in the demanding rally series, (such as this 2011 Tesla Roadster), which winds through dirt and closed roads in a series of sections around the town of Pemberton to test the mettle of contestants.

But it is the first time a Tesla Model 3 has taken to the track, and its winning finish is testament to the Gemtek team behind the win, and a great example of how racing pushes the boundaries of performance and the unique challenges presented by electric vehicles.

The Gemtek Tesla Model 3 won the Targa 130, which is speed-limited to 130km/hr – by more than 4 minutes.

And it could have been an even bigger gap, Driven contributor and Targa spectator Rob Dean tells The Driven.

To read the full version of this story – and view the photo gallery – on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated site, The Driven, click here…

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