Driving Four Swiss Mountain Passes in a Day with a Tesla
There is no finer proving ground for an electric vehicle than the high-altitude roads of Switzerland. With instant torque for steep switchbacks and regenerative braking that recaptures large amounts of energy on the way down, driving an EV here feels less like a compromise and more like a cheat code.
Can you conquer four dramatic Swiss passes, 3 spectacular gorges, and multiple mirrored lakes in a single, grueling day? With a dual-motor Tesla and strategic Supercharger routing, the answer is clearly a yes.
So grab an espresso, lock in your navigation, and prepare for a lesson in EV efficiency and alpine endurance…
The Cannonball Route at a Glance
Total Distance: ~390 Kilometers
Peak Altitude: 2,383 meters (Fluela Pass)
Charging Strategy: Start at 100%, rely heavily on downhill regeneration, and make one rapid mid-day Supercharger pitstop in Chur.
A One-Day Itinerary: Road Trip Highlights
Pfaffikon (SZ) Pass 1: Sattelegg (1,196m) to Lake Lucerne
Pulling out of Pfaffikon (SZ) in the early morning with a 100% charge, immediately head south into the mountains. Instead of taking the standard highway, throw the Tesla straight into the tight, rewarding curves of Pass #1: Sattelegg.
The crisp morning air is clear, and the dual motors keep the car completely glued to the asphalt. After dropping down into the valley of Schwyz, you will quickly merge onto the iconic Axenstrasse - a historic, cliffside road carved directly into solid rock, offering sweeping window views over a glassy, low-mist Lake Lucerne.
Lake Lucerne - Pass 2: Oberalp Pass (2,044m) to Flims & the Ruinaulta
Enter the steep, rugged Reuss Valley and climb rapidly through the granite-walled Schollenen Gorge, doing a swift photo stop at the Devil’s Bridge in Andermatt to feel the roar of the river echoing off the stone walls.
From Andermatt, begin winding Pont du Diable the tight switchbacks of Pass #2: Oberalp Pass. At the 2,044-m summit, look out for the quirky red lighthouse - a replica symbolizing the nearby source of the Rhine River - before coasting down into the Surselva Valley.
Watch your Tesla's energy graph go vibrant green as regenerative braking feeds massive amounts of kinetic energy back into the battery.
Next, cruise east through Flims - catching a glimpse of the dense pine forests and the impossibly turquoise Caumasee hidden below the tree line - and sweep past the rim of Ruinaulta (the "Swiss Grand Canyon") to see the emerald Rhine looping 400 m below through towering white limestone cliffs.
Lenzerheide: Pass 3: Wolfgang Pass (1,631m) & Pass 4: Fluela Pass (2,383m) to Chur
Climb up the high plateau of Lenzerheide and push hard toward Davos. Passing the deep Landwasser gorge, do a rapid pull-off at the Wiesen Viaduct to walk out onto the narrow pedestrian iron footbridge running right alongside the active train tracks, looking down 89 m straight to the canyon floor. From here, cruise over the brief Pass #3: Wolfgang Pass into Davos, and immediately tackle the wild, rocky Pass #4: Fluela Pass.
The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system works overtime through the tight hairpins. At 2,383 m, the summit is a barren, extraterrestrial landscape flanked by frozen alpine lakes. Drop off the pass, converting raw gravity back into battery power, and head straight down into the valley toward the Chur Tesla Supercharger for a lightning-fast juice-up and a quick bite to go…
Chur to Klontalersee then Bad Ragaz & Pfafers & Back to Pfaffikon
With a refreshed battery, head into Canton Glarus, climbing a narrow mountain road to Klontalersee - a breathtaking, glassy emerald lake tightly hemmed in by the sheer vertical rock walls of the Glarnisch range.
After capturing your postcard photos down by the water, loop back toward the Rhine valley to visit Bad Ragaz and the village of Pfafers. Cross the spectacular Tamina Bridge - look out your window to view the dizzying, sheer vertical drop into the raw Tamina Gorge cutting deep into the earth below.
From Pfafers, drop back down to the main A3 highway. Engage Autopilot and enjoy a smooth, high-efficiency cruise along the base of the massive Churfirsten peaks framing Lake Walen (Walensee), bringing you comfortably back to your starting point in Pfaffikon SZ just in time for dinner and a well earned rest.
Tesla Alps Endurance Tips
Trust the Energy Graph: Alpine climbing confuses traditional fuel gauges, but Tesla’s navigation accounts for elevation changes. If it says you'll arrive at the Chur Supercharger with 10%, trust it - you'll gain a massive amount of that range back on the downhills..
Pass Openings: High passes like the Oberalp and Fluela are typically only clear of snow from June to October. Always check live road statuses before attempting a single-day loop over mountain passes.
One Supercharger is All It Takes: Thanks to massive regen on the downhill stretches of the Oberalp and Fluela, the single stop in Chur provides more than enough juice to complete the entire 390km loop.
This tour was done by the Author on May Day 2019. See my other articles for hiking blogs on the locations mentioned above... Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions.
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