Volkswagen ID. Buzz sets Guinness World Record with 99,767 km global trip

German long-distance driver Rainer Zietlow has set a Guinness World Record for the most countries visited during a continuous journey in a battery-powered electric vehicle. Driving a production-model Volkswagen ID. Buzz, Zietlow traveled 99,767 kilometers across 92 countries and six continents over a period of 445 days.

The expedition, which began in July 2025 from Hannover, Germany, included more than 300 charging cycles and 16 transoceanic crossings via container ships. Despite traversing diverse environments such as deserts and mountain ranges, the vehicle completed the entire trip without a single technical breakdown. Post-trip inspections by TÜV Nord confirmed the high-voltage battery maintained a health status of 95.75%.

The journey highlighted significant global disparities in electric vehicle infrastructure. Zietlow reported that while countries like China, South Africa, Morocco, and Rwanda have functional charging networks, other regions like Zambia and Tanzania lacked public infrastructure, requiring him to charge at national electrical substations under supervision.