CANNONBALL INTERNATIONAL EV SERIES

The Cannonball International EV Run™ series is for battery or hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vehicles that are based on ordinary production vehicle running gear and must be capable of carrying at least one passenger. They may be solar assisted, provided that the solar panel area does not exceed four square meters - a rule that may be relaxed in subsequent years as we learn from experience. See the full Cannonball EV rules HERE.

These rules are designed to promote the development of an international EV infrastructure, as a means of accelerating the transition from IC engines to clean electric motors, especially in countries that do not have abundant sunshine, where support for non-solar assisted electric vehicles is all the more important.

Make sure that you read the EV runners road rules before entering your team. 

CALAIS - TOULON:  THE FRENCH CANNONBALL ZEV RUN STOPS* 50mph

GOOGLE SUGGESTED ROUTE - Driving directions  20 HR TARGET  (This route has tolls)

Calais - France

1. Head west on Rue des Communes toward Rue du Pont Neuf 
170 m
2. Turn left onto Rue du Pont Lottin 
110 m
3. Continue onto Rue Charost 
120 m
4. Turn left onto Rue du Temple 
140 m
5. Take the 1st right onto Rue du Général Chanzy 
230 m
6. Continue onto Rue du Four à Chaux 
1.0 km
7. Turn left onto Rue de Lille/D245 
210 m
8. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto D245 
87 m
9. Merge onto A16 via the ramp to Guines/Boulogne/Tunnel sous la Manche
Partial toll road
147 km
10. Take exit 20 toward N1/Amiens-Nord/Longueau
Toll road
550 m
11. Keep left at the fork
Toll road
280 m
12. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto N1 heading to Arras/Lille/Amiens-Centre/Amiens-Nord/Longueau 
4.4 km
13. Take exit 38b toward Amiens-Centre/Amiens-Nord 
550 m
14. Merge onto Av. de l'Europe 
1.9 km
15. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Av. du Général de Gaulle 
650 m
16. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Rue des Déportés 
290 m
17. Continue onto Rue de la Résistance 
270 m
18. Turn left onto Pl. Vogel 
190 m
19. Turn right onto Pl. au Feurre 
88 m
20. Continue onto Rue du Marché Lanselles 
150 m
21. Continue onto Rue des Vergeaux 
100 m
22. Turn right onto Rue Albert Catoire 
110 m
23. Continue straight onto Pl. Léon Debouverie 
18 m
24. Continue onto Rue de la Malmaison 
69 m
159 km – about 1 hour 33 mins

Amiens - France

25. Head south on Rue de la Malmaison toward Rue Gresset 
34 m
26. Take the 1st right onto Rue Gresset 
150 m
27. Slight right onto Rue Jean Catelas 
400 m
28. Turn left onto Bd Faidherbe 
450 m
29. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Pl. du Maréchal Foch 
140 m
30. Continue onto Rue Lucien Fournier
Go through 1 roundabout
450 m
31. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Av. de l'Hippodrome 
600 m
32. Continue onto Av. de la Licorne
Go through 1 roundabout
600 m
33. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Av. de Grâce 
1.5 km
34. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto the A16 ramp to Paris/Rouen
Partial toll road
1.8 km
35. Merge onto A16
Partial toll road
97.6 km
36. Take the N184 exit toward Cergy-Pontoise/Paris- Pte Maillot 
1.5 km
37. Keep left to continue on N184 
7.8 km
38. Take the exit onto A115 toward A15/Paris/Argenteuil/Taverny/Bessancourt 
10.9 km
39. Take the exit onto A15 toward Paris/Argenteuil 
6.2 km
40. Continue onto N315 
3.4 km
41. Continue onto D17
Go through 2 roundabouts
2.0 km
42. Turn left onto Bd Jean Jaurès/D911
Continue to follow D911
450 m
43. Continue onto Av. de la Porte de Clichy 
350 m
44. Turn right onto Bd Berthier 
1.4 km
45. At the roundabout, take the 5th exit onto Av. Gourgaud 
250 m
46. At the roundabout, take the 4th exit onto Av. Niel 
800 m
47. Continue onto Av. Mac-Mahon 
500 m
48. At the roundabout, exit onto Av. des Champs-Élysées
Go through 1 roundabout
2.2 km
49. Slight right toward Quai des Tuileries 
280 m
50. Continue straight onto Quai des Tuileries 
290 m
51. Slight left to stay on Quai des Tuileries
Continue to follow Voie Georges Pompidou
1.6 km
52. Continue straight to stay on Voie Georges Pompidou 
600 m
53. Slight left onto Rue de Lobau 
130 m
54. Turn left to stay on Rue de Lobau 
200 m
55. Turn left onto Rue de Rivoli 
110 m
145 km – about 1 hour 42 mins

Paris - France

56. Head west on Rue de Rivoli toward Quai de l'Hôtel de ville 
69 m
57. Slight left onto Rue de la Coutellerie 
140 m
58. Turn right onto Av. Victoria 
32 m
59. Take the 1st left onto Rue Saint-Martin 
71 m
60. Take the 1st left onto Quai de Gesvres 
160 m
61. Continue onto Quai de l'Hôtel de ville 
350 m
62. Turn right onto Pont Louis Philippe 
15 m
63. Take the 1st left onto Voie Georges Pompidou 
1.2 km
64. Continue onto Voie Mazas 
1.0 km
65. Continue straight onto Quai de Bercy 
1.5 km
66. Take the ramp to A3/A6/Périphérique/Porte de Bercy/Charenton 
270 m
67. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Aéroport Orly/Lyon/Périphérique Interieur/Quai d'Ivry/Porte d'Italie and merge onto Bd Périphérique 
2.4 km
68. Take the exit onto A6B toward A10/Bordeaux/Nantes/Lyon/Évry/Aéroport Orly-Rungis 
9.6 km
69. Keep left to continue on A6B/E15, follow signs for A6/Évry/Lyon/Chilly-Mazarin 
600 m
70. Continue onto A6/E15
Partial toll road
199 km
71. Take exit 22 toward Avallon/Saulieu
Toll road
750 m
72. Merge onto D646
Partial toll road
Go through 1 roundabout
800 m
73. Slight right onto D50 
2.2 km
74. Continue onto D606
Go through 1 roundabout
4.5 km
75. Sharp left onto D127 
350 m
76. Turn left to stay on D127 
9 m
77. Turn right to stay on D127 
140 m
78. Turn left onto Rue Belgrand 
30 m
225 km – about 2 hours 11 mins

Avallon - France

79. Head west on Rue Belgrand toward D127 
30 m
80. Turn right onto D127 
140 m
81. Turn right to stay on D127 
8 m
82. Slight right onto D127A 
350 m
83. Slight left onto D944 
8 m
84. Turn right onto D606
Go through 1 roundabout
4.2 km
85. Turn left onto D50 
2.1 km
86. Turn left onto D646
Partial toll road
Go through 1 roundabout
900 m
87. Take the ramp to A6
Toll road
11 m
88. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for A6/Lyon and merge onto A6
Toll road
92.8 km
89. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for A6/E15/Genève/Lyon/Chalon-sur-Saône/Beaune-Hospices
Toll road
2.0 km
90. Turn right onto A6/E15
Toll road
78.3 km
91. Keep left to continue on A6
Partial toll road
72.7 km
92. Take exit 39b toward Lyon-Centre 
900 m
93. Merge onto Quai Docteur Gailleton 
550 m
94. Keep left to stay on Quai Docteur Gailleton 
400 m
95. Continue onto Quai Jules Courmont 
650 m
96. Continue onto Quai Jean Moulin 
64 m
97. Turn left onto Pl. des Cordeliers 
210 m
98. Take the 3rd right onto Rue de la République 
51 m
256 km – about 2 hours 19 mins

Lyon - France

99. Head south on Rue de la République toward Rue Henri Germain 
51 m
100. Take the 1st left onto Pl. des Cordeliers 
78 m
101. Take the 1st right 
15 m
102. Turn left onto Pl. des Cordeliers 
110 m
103. Turn right onto Quai Jules Courmont 
700 m
104. Continue onto Quai Docteur Gailleton 
1.3 km
105. Continue onto Quai Perrache 
160 m
106. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Marseille/Saint-Étienne and merge onto A7
Partial toll road
196 km
107. Keep right to continue on A9/E15, follow signs for Roquemaure/Nîmes/Montpellier/Toulouse/Barcelone
Toll road
13.9 km
108. Take exit 22-Roquemaure toward Villeneuve-les-Avignon/Mazrcoule/Avignon
Toll road
550 m
109. Keep left at the fork to continue toward N580
Toll road
230 m
110. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for N580/Tavel/Roquemaure/Les Angles/Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and merge onto N580
Partial toll road
400 m
111. Continue onto D6580
Go through 2 roundabouts
8.1 km
112. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto N100 
5.0 km
113. Continue onto Bd Saint-Dominique/N570
Continue to follow N570
600 m
114. Turn left onto Porte de la République 
29 m
115. Continue onto Cours Jean Jaurès 
260 m
116. Continue onto Rue de la République 
400 m
117. Turn left onto Rue Saint-Agricol 
11 m
118. Take the 1st right onto Rue Félicien David 
48 m
228 km – about 2 hours 8 mins

Avignon - France

119. Head west on Rue Félicien David toward Passage Saint-Agricol 
49 m
120. Turn right onto Rue Racine 
160 m
121. Turn left onto Rue Saint-Étienne 
130 m
122. Turn right onto Rue Limas 
260 m
123. Turn left onto Porte du Rhône 
27 m
124. Turn right onto Bd du Rhône 
56 m
125. Continue onto Bd de la Ligne 
550 m
126. Continue onto Bd Saint-Lazare 
270 m
127. Slight right onto Route Touristique du Docteur Pons/D225
Continue to follow D225
2.3 km
128. Take the ramp onto D907 
2.4 km
129. Continue onto D225 
2.3 km
130. Take the ramp to Valence/Marseille 
270 m
131. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto the A7 ramp to Marseille
Partial toll road
1.0 km
132. Merge onto A7
Toll road
57.3 km
133. Keep left to continue on A8/E80, follow signs for Aix-Ouest/Aix-en-Provence/Toulon/Nice
Partial toll road
30.0 km
134. Take the exit onto A52
Toll road
20.5 km
135. Keep right to stay on A52, follow signs for Toulon/Aubagne-les Passons
Partial toll road
5.3 km
136. Merge onto A50
Partial toll road
42.9 km
137. Exit onto Av. Lieutenant d'Estienne d'Orves 
550 m
138. Continue onto Pl. Jurien de la Gravière 
180 m
139. Continue onto Rue Robert Guillemard 
400 m
140. Slight left onto Av. Général Magnan 
140 m
141. Turn left onto Rue Docteur Carence 
50 m
167 km – about 1 hour 36 mins

Toulon - France

CANNONBALL INTERNATIONAL OFFICIAL ROUTES

Female environmental lobbyists strut their stuff - point well made ladies

FORBES 2014

On the same week that Tesla shows off its cross-country “cannonball run,” (aiming to break the transcontinental record for driving an EV from the left to right shore of the U.S. in three days), bad earnings and production news comes from the oil patch.  This could be really good news for Tesla and its competitors, among them, the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf, and the forthcoming BMW i3.  The more expensive oil gets, the more marginally attractive EVs become.

Fourth quarter earnings are out from Shell and Exxon Mobile and they confirm a trend many have pointed to for a long time: the hydrocarbons may still be there, but they are getting more and more expensive to recover. Both Shell and Exxon pointed to declining output, while at the same time bearing enormous investment burdens (Shell’s 2013 capital spending exceeded $44 bn).

Shell’s fourth quarter revenues declined from $7.3 bn to $2.2bn. At the same time, the company took a major torpedo to the bow with its Arctic mishaps, which to date have cost them over $5bn while yielding nothing. The company has also allocated over $30 bn to a project in Kazakhstan which is eight years behind schedule. To worsen the situation, Shell reported a 6% drop in oil production. Annual earnings were down 23% below 2012.

Exxon Mobil fared somewhat better, seeing its earnings decline from $9.95 bn to $8.35 bn, but annual earnings were down 27%. Production of oil and gas was down 1.8% from the prior year, a trend that has continued in seven of their last eight quarters.

The two majors are not the only companies forced to spend huge amounts of money to develop difficult oil and gas fields across the planet. Fracking notwithstanding, the easy stuff is pretty much gone. Today’s projects typically involve billions of dollars of riskier investments at higher costs, and the potential for enormous cost overruns. OilPrice.com cites the example of Italian oil company ENI which currently forecasts a $50 bn investment in Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field – a five-fold increase over initial numbers.

If one looks southward to Latin America, the example of Petrobras shows similar echoes.  The company has incurred over $100 bn in debt to develop the gigantic offshore Lula field.  To get to the oil, companies will have to function a mile below the ocean, and drill another two miles to get to the reserves. It’s technologically risky (does anybody remember BP) and super expensive, with the potential for brutal cost overruns. 

All of which suggests that marginal costs for the production of oil will continue to rise.  In the meantime, electric rates are also not without price pressures. The question will be by how much rates increase over time, and whether the current advantage in ‘fueling costs’ enjoyed by EVs will continue to grow. The DOE currently shows an ‘eGallon’ (the cost for the equivalent energy of a gallon of gasoline) at $1.21, compared with an average price of $3.33 for a gallon of gas. Electricity rates would have to rise much faster than gasoline for electrons to lose their economic advantage. Even if electricity were to shoot up by 50% (an additional $.61 per eGallon) while oil increased by only 25% (an additional $.83), there would still be a marginal economic gain for an EV.

But that kind of mismatch is unlikely to occur. With relatively cheap U.S. natural gas-fired generation, and renewables continuing to rapidly decline in cost, there’s a very good chance that the relative cost benefits of fueling an EV will continue to increase significantly. And while fuel is only a small part of the entire cost equation, that’s a great trend to help spur along the adoption of electric vehicles. Tesla’s voyage may be pioneering today: it will be commonplace tomorrow.

METRO CANNONBALL RUN MOVIE REMAKE OCT 2011

The 1980s caper movie The Cannonball Run is set to get the remake treatment – with two directors vying to bring their version to the big screen. Cannonball Run remake attracts rival bids from Guy Ritchie and Shawn Levy

Director Guy Ritchie is reportedly linked to a remake of the film, which was originally made in 1981, and is set to receive a funding boost from General Motors. The Snatch director’s version of the film would star Brad Pitt and be produced by Warner Bros.

However Total Film reports that another director, Real Steel’s Shawn Levy, has also expressed interest in getting his hands on the project – and his version of the film would reunite him with his Night at the Museum leading man Ben Stiller.

The original version of The Cannonball Run focused on an illegal cross-country car race, and the eccentric participants who would go to any lengths to win, similar to the road race movie Monte Carlo or Bust, and other similar themes.

It starred a host of big names including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise and Dean Martin, and was a big hit at the box office when it was first released. Reynolds, DeLuise and Martin returned for a less successful sequel in 1984.

LINKS:

http://www.forbes.com 2014 oil-majors-woes-good-news-for-tesla-and-other-ev-makers

http://metro.co.uk 2011 cannonball run remake attracts bids from rival guy ritchie and shawn levy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cannonball_Run

http://www.mile-to-km.com/km-to-miles.php

http://www.worldsolarchallenge.org/

http://www.discovery-campervans.com.au/adelaidedarwin.php

http://www.familyonabike.org/other%20info%20pages/awards.html

http://www.endtoenders.co.uk/

https://maps.google.com/

VAUXHALL AMPERA endurance ev attempt 2010_ampera_e-revs

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_27-5-2010-12-26-15

http://www.formaplex.com/news/formaplex-launches-electric-car-world-record-attempt/

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/31/racing-green-endurance-srzero-electric-car-to-make-16-000-mile-t/

http://www.rideacrossbritain.com/packages/end-to-end/

http://www.discoveradventure.com/challenges/land-s-end-to-john-o-groats-cycle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land%27s_End_to_John_o%27_Groats