Winners of the global Challenge 2011 invited to drive at the Monte Carlo Rallye des Energie Nouvelles et Électriques

November 22nd, 2011: Spanish & Italian retailers and journalists gathered for another Green Cars Challenge in Switzerland, the ultimate round of 2011.

Combining passion for Motor Racing and respect for the environment, this unique TAG Heuer & TESLA driving experience took participants from La Chaux de Fonds to Neuchâtel, then to Geneva. Highlights of the trip included the visit of TAG Heuer manufacture, an exclusive dinner with Jack Heuer and the drive through the most scenic roads of UNESCO protected Lavaux region in the 100% electric Tesla Roadster.

” My team of Spanish partners really enjoyed the Greencars Challenge, had fun, will remember it, and will talk about it to their teams, back home. It contributes to backing TAG Heuer’s committment to preserving energy, a committment that many make, but few can back up. ” said Philippe Alluard, General manager of TAG Heuer España.

2011 getting to an end with TAG Heuer’s Mastering Speed for 150 years celebrations closing around the world, our Global Green Cars Challenge has found its winners. More than 50 driving duos from over 10 countries have undertaken the Green Cars Challenge to drive the Tesla Roadsters in the most “energetic” way all over Switzerland. One team has proven to be capable to join the Green Cars Challenge teams enrolled in the MONTE CARLO RALLYE DES ENERGIES NOUVELLES ET ELECTRIQUES that will take place from March 22 to 25, 2012 between Annecy and Monaco. They will join former Formula 1 driver and Green Cars Challenge owner Erik Comas on the competition to defend TAG Heuer’s colors.
And the winners are……

Congratulations to Thomas Volllrath & Thomas Eichmann from Germany
who are officially invited to share this new exciting experience with TAG Heuer and Green Cars.

Green Cars Challenge will start again in 2012 with 2 new “wheels” to allocated for 2013 Monte Carlo Rallye des Energies Nouvelles et electriques. Please contact Marie Ansel to organize your trip to Switzerland combining factory visit and you ultimate Green cars experience.

Congratulations to Erik Comas and all Green Cars Challenge participants of 2011 !

More and more businesses are turning to corporate incentive and team-building events as a way of motivating their employees.

Team building events help create a spirit of togetherness among team members, by providing them with a unique experience and encouraging them to work towards a common goal. Managers particularly appreciate these motivational events, as they help build strong team bonds while at the same time allowing individuals to shine in a range of exciting activities.

Green Cars Challenge provide eco-friendly corporate driving experiences with a strong focus on team building. The Green Cars Challenge experience takes place in the breathtaking surroundings of the Swiss Alps, and centres around driving the Tesla Roadster – the most powerful electric sports car in the world.

Green Cars Challenge – the eco-friendly corporate driving experience

The final Green Cars Challenge event of the year is complete, and we can now reveal the overall winners from all the challenges that have taken place since 5 March 2011.

I am delighted to announce Thomas Irath and Thomas Eichmann as this year’s winning team. The German duo finished their 160 km challenge from Neuchâtel through Gurnigel, organised by TAG Heuer Germany on 14 September, with a fantastic total of 203 km battery life remaining.

Their prize is a place in the Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally from 22 to 25 March 2012, where they will drive one of the five cars in my Green Cars Challenge team. Interestingly, the winning pair used the same car – 332 – that I drove to victory in the Monte Carlo Rally 2011.

The two Thomases showed a great sense of orientation, as well as skilful time management and energy efficiency in their Tesla Roadster 2.5. Their excellent performance should stand them in good stead for their first ever rally, during which respect for 50 km/h speed limits and management of their car’s battery life will be constant factors.

I am really looking forward to seeing this brilliant pair again at the start of the 13th Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally. I would like to thank Jean Christophe Babin, CEO of TAG Heuer, for the confidence he has placed in Green Cars SA throughout 2011, and for his continued support in 2012.

Erik COMAS

The seventh Ever Monaco international trade show will take place from 22 to 25 March 2012, and will showcase the very best in renewable energy technology and eco-friendly motoring.

As is the case every year, all of the main players in the green transport sector will be at the Ever expo to present their latest innovations to the public and share their visions for the future.

For this year’s event, Ever Monaco’s organisers will take an innovative approach and adapt their official website to reflect the latest Web 3.0 trends. The expo’s online communications will centre around social networks, with the aim of providing real-time information on the latest goings-on at the event.

Green Cars Challenge – the eco-friendly corporate driving experience

Visit the Ever Monaco website to find out more

Tesla is to cease production of its all-electric Roadster after three and a half years, in a move that spells the end of the road for a true icon of green change. In tribute, Tom Stewart, a journalist at The Green Car Website, took the Tesla Roadster for a spin and reported back on his experience.

Stewart hired his electric vehicle from Green Cars Challenge, who operate a fleet of Tesla Roadsters from their base at La Réserve Hotel in the Swiss city of Geneva. Despite the wet weather, he was able to complete a 140-mile trip around the beautiful Lake Geneva.

In his subsequent article, Stewart recounted his Green Cars Challenge experience and said he was most impressed by the Roadster’s speed and sharp handling. He admits he found the cockpit slightly too small for his liking, but praised the car’s high-tech features and its multi-functional centre console.

The Green Cars Challenge team is always delighted to welcome new clients and help them enjoy an unparalleled driving experience aboard an eco-friendly electric sportscar.

Corporate incentive events and business away days are the solution of choice for companies seeking to strengthen team bonds or give their collaborators the chance to experience something new. Green Cars Challenge apply an innovative approach to this concept to create corporate events that are truly unforgettable.

Green Cars Challenge guests are invited to take the wheel of the most powerful electric sports car in the world – the Tesla Roadster. They then set off on a 124 – 410-mile route spread over one to three days, depending on the chosen package. The trip takes the form of a friendly but competitive rally, which encourages participants to both drive and think in a whole new way.

The challenge, set against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps, combines the fun and excitement of rallying with pitstops at first-class restaurants and top quality hotels. The result is a unique corporate incentive event that guests will remember for years to come.

Contact the Green Cars Challenge team to start planning your very own green event.

Back in October, a new film entitled Revenge of the Electric Car opened in cinemas in Los Angeles. The documentary examines the catalytic role Tesla has played in the motoring world and in the development of electric vehicles.

The film’s director, Chris Paine, was given the chance to visit Tesla’s headquarters, which enabled him to create a superb documentary charting the history of the company. The film also looks at the excitement surrounding Tesla’s forthcoming Model S saloon.

Green Cars Challenge – the eco-friendly corporate driving experience

Elon Musk, CEO of electric car manufacturer Tesla, has confirmed that the hotly anticipated Model X will be unveiled to the public by the end of 2011. The new vehicle will then go on display at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2012.

The Model X will be a seven-seat crossover, and is expected to go into production in 2013 before going on sale in 2014. To reduce production costs for its new electric vehicle, Tesla has decided to build the Model X in Fremont, California, in the same factory as the Model S.

Green Cars Challenge – the eco-friendly corporate driving experience

Tag Heuer Green Cars Challenge: teams from Germany and USA enjoy emission-free rally

True to its motor racing DNA and commitment to sustainability, TAG Heuer organised special incentive events on 14 and 21 September that combined the thrill of driving with environmental awareness.

Through its partnership with Green Cars Challenge and the ex-Formula 1 driver Erik Comas, TAG Heuer are pioneering a new form of incentive package that features, among other highlights, a tour of the company’s factory in the Swiss city of La-Chaux-de-Fonds.

Corporate guests from the USA, Canada and Germany hopped aboard Tesla Roadsters – including the vehicle that TAG Heuer took on a round-the-world tour in 2010 – and set off on a rally through the scenic roads of Switzerland, following road book instructions and respecting Swiss traffic rules.

Their challenge was not to clock the highest speeds, but rather to use as little energy as possible. The overall winners from the year-round challenge will be invited by Green Cars to take part in the 2012 Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally – an event that Erik Comas and his team have already won twice.

The German pair of Thomas Vollrath and Thomas Eichmann are the “greenest” drivers and co-drivers so far, so congratulations to them both!

The Tesla Roadster is the most powerful all-electric sports car in the world, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds with no noise or emissions.

With the help of brand ambassador, actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, Tag Heuer have undertaken various measures to lessen the company’s impact on the environment, such as installing the largest “solar roof” in western Switzerland on its factory buildings.

Congratulations to Mathieu Selzer and his team from Germany, and to Kristy McLellan and her team from the USA!