Globe Trotting ID. Buzz Sets a New World Record

An electric VW ID. Buzz van has entered the record books after travelling 99,676 km and visiting 92 countries.

The journey took driver Rainer Zietlow 445 days from leaving Hanover, Germany to returning again and saw him granted the award for "Most countries visited in a continuous journey by a battery powered electric vehicle" by Guinness World Records.

Zietlow left the factory where his ID.Buzz was built in summer 2025 and journeyed across six continents. His route took in major cities, deserts and mountain ranges, and required more than 300 charging cycles. Despite covering this vast distance the van’s battery was tested and still maintained 95.75 per cent of its capacity at the end of the trip.

Charging wasn’t always easy, but Zietlow is convinced that long-distance EV travel is the future. “In parts of Africa there is virtually no charging infrastructure – in countries such as Zambia or Tanzania there was simply nothing available, so I charged at national substations under supervision. South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda, by contrast, already work well. In Rwanda I once drove to an airport at an altitude of 2,000 metres and suddenly found myself in front of a whole row of ID. Buzz being used as shuttle taxis – that was almost surreal. Other regions have caught up enormously: in Saudi Arabia there were not many charging stations three years ago, today it is almost as good there as in Germany. South America, above all Brazil and Chile, is also making very strong progress, and China is in a league of its own anyway – there, electric mobility is part of everyday life. The bottom line: it is increasing worldwide, and in many regions it is being built very quickly."

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