VW ID. Buzz EV Van Sets Guinness World Record After Traveling Through 92 Countries

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz set a new Guinness World Record for the most countries visited in a continuous journey by a battery-powered electric vehicle, traveling nearly 100,000 kilometers across 92 countries.

After 445 days on the road and covering 99,767 kilometers, or approximately 62,000 miles, the Volkswagen electric van earned its place in the Guinness World Records.

Rainer Zietlow drove a Volkswagen ID. Buzz Long Wheelbase (LWB) around the world, crossing six continents and traveling through major cities, deserts and mountainous regions.

The journey began in Hanover, Germany, and took the electric van through the United States, Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia and China.

The trip required more than 300 charging cycles and 16 container ships. Despite the distance and variety of conditions, the ID. Buzz completed the journey without a technical breakdown.

Lena Kuhlmann, a representative of Guinness World Records, presented the certificate for “Most countries visited in a continuous journey by a battery powered electric vehicle” at IAA Transportation 2026.

“I had no technical problems,” Zietlow said in an interview at the event.

Following the journey, Hanover-based TÜV Nord certified that the ID. Buzz’s high-voltage battery retained 95.75% state of health.

Zietlow described the journey as his biggest project in 20 years. The trip lasted one year and four months and was the longest journey he had undertaken.

“I am particularly proud that we came through this high mileage without any technical problems, and that through genuinely difficult regions,” Zietlow said during the interview.

The journey also gave Zietlow an opportunity to compare electric and combustion-powered vehicles under demanding international travel conditions.

“On a trip like this, the difference between a combustion engine and an electric vehicle is noticeable,” Zietlow said. In many parts of the world, he explained, diesel fuel can have high sulphur levels or become contaminated with water. Combustion vehicles also require multiple oil changes and can face the risk of engine overheating.

“All of that is eliminated with an electric vehicle,” he said.

Even when charging time is taken into consideration, Zietlow said, “you are better off with an electric car.” He expects continued improvements in batteries and other EV components to make long-distance electric travel increasingly easier and more efficient.

“The gap to the combustion engine is getting smaller,” Zietlow told reporters.

He added that if solid-state batteries become available alongside very fast hyper-charging, “then a great deal more will be possible.”

Looking further ahead, Zietlow said that “in the not-too-distant future,” the combustion engine could become to society what the horse-drawn carriage once was.

The Guinness World Record was achieved using a series-production ID. Buzz rather than a specially modified prototype. Volkswagen used an ID. Buzz Pro Long Wheelbase model for the journey.

The ID. Buzz Pro LWB is equipped with an 86 kWh battery and has a WLTP range of up to 498 kilometers. Its DC fast-charging capability reaches up to 200 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes.