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VW ID. Buzz Sets Guinness World Record After 92 Countries in 445 Days
A Volkswagen ID. Buzz has completed a 445-day, 92-country journey without a single breakdown, earning a Guinness World Record for the most countries visited in a continuous trip by an electric vehicle.
By Charlotte Redford · 4 min read
A Volkswagen ID. Buzz has secured a Guinness World Record for the most countries visited in a single continuous journey by a battery-electric vehicle, after completing a 445-day expedition across 92 nations and six continents without suffering a single breakdown.
The record-setting drive was undertaken by Rainer Zietlow, who departed Hannover, Germany, on 1 July 2025 and returned on 14 September, covering a total of 62,036 miles (99,767 km). The vehicle, a Pro model equipped with an 86-kWh battery pack and a WLTP range of up to 309 miles (497 km), was charged more than 300 times during the trip.
Perhaps the most striking statistic from the journey is the state of the van's battery at the end. After more than a year of near-continuous use, the ID. Buzz retained 95.75 percent of its original battery capacity, a figure that will be of considerable interest to fleet operators and private buyers alike as the market for used electric vehicles matures.
The route took the ID. Buzz across South America, North America, Europe, and Asia, with the vehicle transported between continents by container ship. From Sydney to Perth, the van crossed the base of Australia before being shipped to South Africa, where it was driven through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, and Kenya. The Asian leg included Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, followed by extensive driving through Central and Western Europe, South America, and North America.
Charging infrastructure proved to be the expedition's principal logistical challenge. In Tanzania and Zambia, where no public charging network exists, the vehicle had to be charged at national substations to keep the journey moving. Zietlow noted that China is «in a league of its own» when it comes to charging networks and broad EV adoption, a remark that underscores the uneven pace of infrastructure rollout globally.
The absence of any mechanical failure over such a distance is a notable endorsement of electric drivetrain reliability, particularly given the varied road conditions and climates encountered. Zietlow also had reason to be grateful for his choice of powertrain rather than a combustion engine, as petrol prices soared during the year of the journey.
The record adds to the growing body of evidence that electric vehicles can cope with extreme long-distance travel, even in regions where charging remains sparse. For manufacturers, such demonstrations serve as a counterpoint to persistent consumer concerns about range anxiety and battery degradation. The ID. Buzz's retained battery capacity of 95.75 percent after 62,036 miles will be cited as a benchmark in that debate.
Volkswagen's ID. Buzz, the modern electric reinterpretation of the classic Microbus, has been positioned as a lifestyle and family vehicle since its launch. The Pro model used for the record attempt sits in the middle of the range, offering a balance of range and practicality rather than class-leading figures. Its success over 92 countries suggests that, for many drivers, that balance is sufficient.
The Guinness World Record for most countries visited in a continuous journey by a BEV now stands with Zietlow and the ID. Buzz, a milestone that combines endurance, infrastructure navigation, and a measure of good fortune. The journey concluded without the breakdown that might have been expected from such an ambitious undertaking, leaving the vehicle's battery as the most scrutinised component of an already remarkable story.
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