Volkswagen ID.4 EV bags a Guinness World Record

KUALA LUMPUR: As the automotive industry is on its way to embracing full electrification, several electric cars are hitting the track records these days. The recent one is the Volkswagen ID.4 that bagged the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous journey by electric vehicle (non-solar) in a single country. It crossed the driven mileage set by the previous record by more than double. 

The record-setting cross-country road trip was done by long-distance driver Rainer Zietlow and photographer Derek Collins in the US. They took almost 100 days to complete the trip with a run of more than 35,000 miles (56,327 km), including visits to 628 Volkswagen dealerships across all 48 contiguous states. As for charging, the adventurers took 208 stops at Electrify America charging stations.

“Breaking the record is not only a testament to the reliability of the ID.4 but also to the actual readiness of the nation’s charging infrastructure,” said Zietlow.

“Congratulations to Rainer and Derek for setting a new world record. Their achievement is a significant recognition for the entire Volkswagen EV landscape and this tour provides further proof that the ID.4 is a very realistic and capable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles as public EV charging stations become increasingly more available,” said Hein Schafer, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing and Strategy, Volkswagen of America.

To recap, the Volkswagen ID.4 is the brand’s first fully electric crossover SUV. It is powered by a rear axle-mounted electric motor delivering a maximum power of 204 PS and juiced up by a 77-kWh battery pack. Its cruising range is rated at 520 km (as per WLTP standards). Performance-wise, the EV can hit the century sprint in 8.5 seconds, with a top speed of 160 kmph. 

As of now, there’s no word on whether the German automaker will bring the ID.4 to Malaysia.

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