Weibe Wakker's Plug Me In initiative just came to an epic close as he capped off his 95,000-kilometer journey in Australia last Sunday. The Dutchman traveled from his hometown in the Netherlands to Sydney aboard Blue Bandit, a "modified" VW Golf in an effort to "inspire, educate and accelerate" the mindset of the world to adopt a sustainable and zero-carbon future. The "world's longest electric car trip", according to Engadget, is also Wakker's crowning glory that sealed his 3-year foray which he started on March 15, 2016.
Plug Me In's story paired Wakker's passion for travel and his advocacy to promote sustainable mobility. In the project's official website, Wakker detailed the purpose of his voyage, as well as a landing page where people can support and donate to his cause. There, they offered him food, a place to stay or electricity to charge Blue Bandit. Videos of his exploits were also uploaded, as well as several interviews with "innovative thinkers, sustainable warriors, and fascinating eco-products."
Engadget reported that Wakker's accomplishment spanned over 33 countries, including Turkey, India, and Malaysia, and had "multiple sea crossings." The expedition was also instrumental in comparing what it would be like to travel from Amsterdam to Sydney, Australia using a normal, gas-guzzling VW Golf as opposed to an environment-friendly EV, or electric vehicle. While the latter would have cost him some $4, 552 or around 1, 800 US gallons of fuel, Wakker's groundbreaking exploits only shed a humble $300 on electricity.
Wakker said on a separate interview that Plug Me In is part of his vision to change people's insight when it comes to electric vehicles. As he conquered what seemed to be a pipedream for EVs, he is now confident that these vehicles are feasible for daily use. His adventure clearly impacted the industry and should be a platform for manufacturers to continue to produce emission-free modes of transport. Plug Me In is just a small step; sooner or later, someone like Wakker will do strides to expand the reaches of electric vehicles to a wider and global audience.
Companies like Tesla have been putting their best foot forward to maintain a steady line of electric vehicles. Although they are labeled as more of a "premium" offering, Wakker is well on his way to revolutionize the industry. Plug Me In is a tangible result that electric vehicles can go toe to toe with conventional automobiles, or perhaps even surpass the latter's capability. Traversing 33 countries is no laughing matter, and Wakker just proved that it can be done without breaking the bank and reducing the amount of carbon footprint in the process.
