TESLA TAKES THE CROWNE

IHG Hotels has thrown its weight behind Tesla, the American electric car manufacturer, and installed Tesla Destination Chargers that allow for road trips between all 10 of its Australian properties, located between Alice Springs and Adelaide. We put the 2017 Tesla Model X through its paces while connecting the dots between IHG Hotel’s new charging stations in NSW at Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach, Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury Valley, Kirkton Park Hunter Valley, and Crowne Plaza Terrigal. The Destination Chargers each deliver enough power for up to 80 km of travel during our 450 km round-trip, which gives us confidence in the Tesla Model X’s 100 kWh battery, which delivers an estimated driving distance of 565 km. Getting behind the wheel of the sleek and spirited Tesla Model X is energising in itself, especially when you flick the mode from Chill to Ludicrous on the 43 cm touch screen in order to speed silently past lines of frazzled gas guzzlers on the highway. While the Tesla drinks its juice, we recharge on our road trip with treats such as a vinotherapy treatment at the Ubika Spa in the Hunter Valley, lunch at Harvest at Kirkton Park followed by dinner in the Lord Ashley Lounge at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal. By rolling out Destination Chargers across the country, IHG has not only put Crowne Plaza Hotels on the map for owners of the electric vehicles; it’s also effectively positioned itself as a progressive brand that is doing its bit to address global warming. And as for business travellers who commute across the country, it’s made pulling away from the hum of the highway to recharge at a Crowne Plaza an even more attractive proposition. tesla.com; crowneplaza.com