Weiber Wakker with his trusty Blue Bandit EV in the Australian Outback. Screenshot : Plug Me In Project ( YouTube

In an epic road trip spanning more than three years, 33 countries, and roughly 59,000 miles, Dutchman Weibe Wakker set what is believed to be the record for the ‘world’s longest trip’ by an electric car, yesterday.


Wakker set out from Amsterdam in the Netherlands on March 15, 2016, as part of his Plug Me In project. The trip was mostly funded by donations, plus some sponsorships from companies like Bundles (a washing machine rental company), Canon, and Adobe. Volunteers could sign up via Wakker’s site to offer a meal, places to sleep, or even an outlet for him to charge his car. As for Wakker’s car, the intrepid Dutchman didn’t opt for a well-known electric vehicle (EV) like a Tesla. Instead, he drove in a retrofitted station wagon dubbed “The Blue Bandit” that got about 124 miles on a single charge .

According to Wakker’s site, the route itself was determined by where kind strangers would let him charge his car. The trip took him down through Eastern Europe, through Turkey, Iran, and the Middle East, before crossing into India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally, Australia. Wakker told the AFP that before modifying his car, it would’ve likely used around 1,800 gallons of fuel to make the trip. However, all-in-all Wakker spent a mere $300 on electricity, most of which he said was in the Australian Outback.


Wakker documented his travels both on social media, as well as a series of video diaries, which included stopovers to chat with organizations and activists about sustainability.

“It took some effort but overall I had a pretty easy trip, made possible by hundreds of people who signed up on my website, offered help on the way, or people online who reached out to help,” Wakker wrote on his Instagram. “People are congratulating me as I have show [n] the possibilities of electric cars but I am more happy with all the help I received from people during my journey.”

EVs have come a long way since they were first introduced, and Wakker isn’t the only EV enthusiast to try long-distance trips (though he certainly traveled the furthest). Two men in Denver set the record distance on a single charge with a Model 3 Tesla last year, hitting 606 miles before the car’s battery called it quits.


[AFP, Engadget]