The Volkswagen ID. Buzz travelled 99,767 kilometres through 92 countries over 445 days.
TÜV Nord measured the electric van’s high-voltage battery at 95.75% state of health.
The journey required more than 300 charging sessions and 16 crossings aboard container ships.
A production Volkswagen ID. Buzz has completed the loop, returning to Hanover after travelling 99,767 km through 92 countries, completing a 445-day around-the-world road trip across six continents.
German long-distance driver Rainer Zietlow began the journey in summer 2025 from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ customer centre in Hanover, home of the ID. Buzz. The vehicle used for the trip was a long-wheelbase, 86-kWh battery capable of providing a WLTP range of up to 498 km (426 km EPA) depending on trim and equipment.
The journey has now received the Guinness World Records title for the most countries visited during a continuous trip in a battery-electric vehicle.
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The distance covered was only part of the challenge. Zietlow drove through major cities, deserts and mountainous areas while encountering widely different road, weather and charging conditions. Moving the vehicle between regions also required no less than 16 crossings aboard container ships.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said the ID. Buzz completed the journey without a single technical breakdown. The vehicle underwent inspections by German testing organization TÜV Nord before and after the trip. Following its return, TÜV Nord measured the high-voltage battery at 95.75% state of health.
Charging presented a different challenge. Zietlow completed more than 300 charging sessions, with infrastructure availability varying significantly by country.
VW ID.Buzz Guiness Record | Photo: VolkswagenHe reported finding no public chargers in Zambia and Tanzania, requiring access to national electrical facilities under supervision. South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda offered more established charging options. Zietlow also pointed to rapid infrastructure development in Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Chile, and describing China as a substantially more mature market for everyday electric mobility.
The record represents Zietlow’s ninth Guinness World Records achievement involving vehicles from Volkswagen or Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. He has used Volkswagen models for his projects since 2005.
The ID. Buzz World Tour also provided a nearly 100,000-km durability exercise for an unmodified production EV. Its return to Hanover gives Volkswagen a battery-health measurement and vehicle inspection results following more than a year of continuous operation.
