Forget flying or sailing, and even doing it in 80 days, because eight-time Guinness World Record holder Rainer Zietlow is begun what might be the most ambitious road trip in history, an all-electric circumnavigation of the globe in a Volkswagen ID Buzz.
Yes, you read that right. An electric van. Around the entire world.
Starting from the ID Buzz's plant in Hanover, Germany, the 55-year-old Mannheim daredevil and his crack team are embarking on an epic journey that will see them travel through 75 countries over eight months.
Now, you might be thinking, "An EV for a world tour? Is he mad?" But Zietlow (pictured centre) isn't just winging it, he's a seasoned explorer, having visited over 110 countries already. Previous misadventures include taking an ID. Buzz to Qatar, so this man knows a thing or two about long-haul adventures.
The star of the show is his specially equipped Volkswagen ID Buzz Pro long wheelbase electric van, which has be modified with an additional on-board charger. It will gobble up high-voltage AC current and convert it to DC, in places where fast charging simply won't be an option.
With an 86kWh battery, Zietlow hopes to get more than 400km out of each charge, which is just as well because he's planning on driving through some pretty empty stretches of road.
The journey starts in Europe, then heads east as far as New Zealand, before making a transatlantic leap to Canada.
Lars Krause, a member of the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles board of management (pictured right), said: "We are very impressed that Rainer has the courage and expertise to take on a world tour like this."
VW has even arranged for spare parts to be available in countries the Buzz will visit, from Indonesia to Japan, and the USA to Canada.
You can follow the electrifying journey at idbuzz-worldtour.com.
