Electric Odyssey: ID. Buzz Takes on global record attempt

German explorer and eight-time Guinness World Record holder Rainer Zietlow has embarked on a record-breaking journey in an ID. Buzz electric vehicle, aiming to visit more than 75 countries. 

The expedition recently kicked off at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles customer centre in Hanover.

The ID. Buzz World Tour aims to set a new world record for the most countries visited in an electric vehicle on a single trip. Zietlow’s team will traverse various regions, heading east towards New Zealand and west towards Vancouver, Canada. 

The journey is expected to span over eight months, with breaks for ship passages and customs clearance. Those interested can track the team’s progress and view route reports on www.idbuzz-worldtour.com.

The ID. Buzz utilised for the tour is a production version equipped with an 86 kWh battery, providing a range of over 400 kilometres per charge. It also features an additional on-board charger to convert high-voltage alternating current (AC, up to 125A) into direct current (DC) for charging in areas without quick chargers or with different DC charging standards. 

Zietlow, who has previously travelled to over 110 countries and reached Qatar in an ID. Buzz predecessor, spent approximately a year preparing for this tour.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, along with electricity provider Elli and other companies, are supporting Zietlow’s private expedition.

Lars Krause, a member of the Brand Board of Management at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, expressed admiration for Zietlow’s undertaking, noting that charging is “no longer a problem” in Europe and that the tour is expected to encourage more people to switch to all-electric vehicles. 

Spare parts for the ID. Buzz are readily available, as the model has been introduced in many of the countries on the route, including Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, the USA, and Canada.