German adventure driver Rainer Zietlow and his cameraman, Elric Popp, have embarked on a journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record, with the aim of completing a trans-Canada electric vehicle (EV) crossing with the fewest charging stops ever attempted.
Their journey will take them across Canada along the country’s scenic Highway 1, and includes stops at EV charging stations in nearly every province. Rainer Zietlow, a multiple world record holder, says they are well-prepared for this challenge, explaining it will showcase the potential of EVs and the ever-expanding charging infrastructure across Canada.
Volkswagen Canada, in collaboration with Electrify Canada, has been actively involved in the construction of a cross-country charging network. As more and more Canadians make the switch to EVs, this charging infrastructure will play a pivotal role in facilitating EV adoption throughout the country.
“The future of transportation lies in sustainable, eco-friendly mobility solutions, and Volkswagen is committed to leading the way in this transition. We are proud to support Rainer Zietlow and Elric Popp in their endeavor to set a new Guinness World Record, demonstrating the capabilities of our ID.4 EV and the potential of electric vehicles for long-distance journeys,” said a Volkswagen Canada spokesperson.
The trip is set to finish at Mile 0 in Victoria, British Columbia. But their trip doesn’t end there, with Zietlow and Popp setting off on a return journey to St. John’s, stopping at all 145 Volkswagen Canada dealers along the way.
There is no mention of which model ID.4 Zietlow is driving, but the RWD variant can travel up to 443 km on a full charge, while the AWD variant can travel 410 km, according to Natural Resources Canada estimates.
You might recall that a pair of Canadians, Jef Fisher and Cyril Wheeler, completed a cross-country trip from Victoria to St John’s in a Model 3 Long Range last year. The pair is looking back at their statistics to see how many charging stops they made, but that was completed in slightly different conditions as they set off in the middle of winter, and they opted for shorter, but more frequent charging stops for greater efficiency. Whatever records Zietlow and Popp set, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the records soon beaten by a Tesla Model S with its 652km range taking advantage of the fast and expansive Supercharger network.
The pair departed St. John’s this morning, and are currently making their way to Channel-Port aux Basques. You can follow along their journey on their website.
