How a Tesla Model 3 plans to win a Perth to Sydney marathon

When the grinding Perth to Sydney marathon commences in late October, it will have a new electric contender: a Tesla Model 3. But how will it keep charged along the way? And does it have even a remote chance of winning?

As reported by The Driven in February, it’s a case of “Mad Max powered by Big Macs.”

The contender in question is the Tesla Model 3 of Targa West fame, that in December took out second place in the 1,000km+ gruelling rally race, which takes place over four days.

But the Perth to Sydney marathon – which is being run in honour of the 1968 London to Sydney marathon – is something else entirely.

The extremely challenging 5,700km race sees competitors tackle hundreds of kilometres of dirt and gravel roads in some of the world’s harshest and most remote environments. It is not, shall we say, for the faint of heart.

And, as underlined in Bryce Gaton’s recent trip from Melbourne to Perth, this is a route that is very, very thin on EV chargers.

There have been quite a few electric cars make similar trips in recent years (you can peruse our Road Trips section here to read about them), but these have all been done with the benefit of time to find, stop and stay while an EV battery recharges.

So how does an all-electric car propose to do the Perth to Sydney marathon, under the pump, so to speak?

We checked in with retired engineer and creator of the Biofil EV charger powered by waste oil, Jon Edwards, who has been a driving force for both the Targa West team along with Gemtek Group, and this latest entry into the marathon.

Under the moniker “Green Theme”, the electric contestant is a 2019 Tesla Model3 Performance fitted with a Motor Sport Australia-approved cage.

“It is the same car we are using for Targa West tarmac rally events,” said Edwards in a note to The Driven.

Because half the race is in the bush on dirt roads, where there are no fast-chargers let alone a power point to plug into, the team plans to take their own.

The plan involves two trucks and a van carrying versions of Edwards’ Biofil EV chargers, plus a 570 litres worth of waste chip fryer oil to power them.

The chargers consist of one two 80kW chargers, and a 100kW charger. These are accompanied by a 75kWh battery and a 120kWh battery.

The three vehicles will bunnyhop along the route via nearby highways in order to meet and recharge the Model 3 at approximately 200-kilometre intervals.

Charging will, of course, take longer than the refuelling of combustion competitors.

“The organisers have agreed to deduct charging time from our overall times,” says Edwards. “This keeps our entry fair and competitive.”

While the Model 3 entry is billed as a “sustainability challenge” to complete the race solely on renewable energy (being made of vegetable, largely canola, oil, the energy is in fact renewable and not from fossil fuels), the elephant in the room is of course the trucks and van being used to transport the chargers.

“As with other competitors, the fuel will be carried out there by diesel trucks,” notes Edwards.”If I could purchase electric trucks to carry the fuel and generators I would, but they are simply not available.”

His plan for the next time around “will be to run the trucks on renewable fuel,” he says. “It is a big undertaking as it is currently planned without adding more.”

While it will be the TOCEVA Targa team’s Jurgen Lunsmann behind the wheel of the Model 3, Edwards will be following aloing, he hopes, in a newly acquired Model Y.

“The Model Y will replace my Hyundai Kona EV as a daily driver,” he says, asked what made him order Tesla’s newest addition to the Australian order book.

“As you know, the Model Y has good space in the back for camping gear etc, so it should be a good workhorse for me.

“It will hopefully snapped up by a sponsor for wrapping to spread the word from Perth to Sydney,” he adds.

Does he think the Model 3 has a chance of winning?

“A Hillman Hunter won it last time in 1968.,” says Edwards. “The Tesla is equal to or better than any car in the field and we have a great driving team.”

“No reason why we should not win or achieve a top 3 place,” he says.

The Green Theme entry is sponsored by the Tesla Owners Club of WA, Neo Metals, Iceni Gold, Siren Gold, Augustus Copper, Summit Gold, Aaro Group, Scame Electric Products, Morgans Financial and Yokohama. The team is seeking an anchor sponsor.

More information on the Perth to Sydney Marathon can be found here.