Driver Rainer Zietlow completed a global journey in a Volkswagen ID.Buzz, covering 99,767 kilometers across 92 countries and six continents. The trip lasted 445 days, starting on July 1, 2025, from Hanover, Germany, and concluding on September 14, 2026.
Guinness World Records officially recognized the feat as the record for the most countries visited by an electric vehicle on a continuous journey. The certificate was presented at the 2026 IAA Transportation show in Hanover.
The vehicle used was a long-wheelbase ID.Buzz Pro with an 86 kWh battery. During the trip, the car required over 300 charging stops and 16 ocean crossings via container ships. The high-voltage battery health remained at 95.75% upon return.
Zietlow reported no mechanical failures during the expedition. He noted significant disparities in global charging infrastructure, highlighting that while some regions in Africa lack public chargers, countries like Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Chile, and China are rapidly expanding their networks.
