[All the photos are at the source link below. Jan]

Alan Wurman and Lars Christiansen were almost forced to abandon their plans to circumnavigate the globe in their Tesla Cybertruck after a series of misfortunes in South Africa.

The pair is travelling the globe on their Cyberlocos-branded Tesla electric vehicle (EV), attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the most countries visited by a single EV.

Aside from setting a world record, the pair want to show that there are no limits to EVs, having successfully travelled across many countries with no EV charging stations.

Wurman and Christiansen are currently travelling in Africa, according to their social media, after which they will travel to Asia and Australia.

They have travelled over 100,000km in their Cybertruck. It is a Tesla Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD, which can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds.

Christiansen said that the vehicle has a top speed of 184km/h and a range of about 500km, with the Cybertruck possibly reaching 600km depending on driving style and road conditions.

He said that range was the most important factor in choosing which EV to take on the trip to travel around the world by electric vehicle.

The Cybertruck also has full self-driving, and its stainless-steel carapace is rated as bullet-resistant. The steering is also by wire, meaning that the steering wheel is not mechanically connected to the wheels.

The Cyberlocos Cybertruck is recognisable on the road by its branding, with decals indicating it is attempting a Guinness World Record.

Tesla’s Cybertruck is currently sold in the US, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, all of which are left-hand drive (LHD) markets.

It is not officially offered in RHD markets like South Africa, and it requires certain modifications to be driven domestically over the long term.

Technical support at Wits and a hit-and-run in Cape Town

Injuries sustained by Lars Christiansen after he was struck by a taxi while on foot in Cape Town.
On 14 March, the Cyberlocos team had to stop at the University of the Witwatersrand for essential upgrades to their Tesla so they could continue their journey.

According to the university, the Cyberlocos Cybertruck required technical support from the university’s Mobility and Electrification Research for Africa (MERA) team.

“The Cybertruck was unable to connect properly to local electrical systems, and the team helped resolve the problem so the vehicle could charge reliably and continue its journey,” said Wits.

“This situation reflects a wider challenge across the continent. Charging standards, plug types, and access to reliable electricity are not always consistent, which can make EV travel more difficult.”

The Wits MERA team, based in the university’s School of Electrical and Information Engineering, is focused on solving the continent’s mobility and electrification challenges.

It works on electric transport solutions, charging technologies and energy access, with a focus on affordability, durability and real-world use cases.

Christiansen explained that despite a lack of charging infrastructure across Africa, the Cybertruck was successfully charged using hotel wall plugs in several countries.

“From Kigali in Rwanda, down to Lilongwe in Malawi, we drove 2,500km only with electricity from the walls,” Christiansen said in a recent interview with Cars.co.za.

“You arrive at the hotel, you plug the car in, and you stay there a couple of days for the battery to charge and then head out.”

Two months later, the Cyberlocos team hit a major hurdle when Christiansen was struck by a taxi head-on while on foot in Cape Town.

“A minivan taxi being chased by the police hit Lars in Cape Town. [The taxi driver] didn’t brake, he didn’t slow down, and he fled the scene,” the Cyberlocos Instagram account said.

“The paramedics were quick on the scene as he was knocked unconscious. This was a close one. He is recovering and will be OK.”

Christiansen had to undergo a CAT scan, ultrasound and X-rays to gauge the extent of his injuries, but he was mostly unharmed aside from cuts to his face, hands and legs.

“When the doctor said all was OK, my first question was, ‘When can I drive my car?’” he said.

In a follow-up post on Facebook, the team said that the trip will go on despite the injuries. “Nothing will stop us from completing this epic journey.”

Since then, the pair have posted videos of their travels in Zambia and Kenya, including visiting the Maasai Mara National Park.

Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/654681-team-attempting-world-record-trip-in-cybertruck-almost-didnt-make-it-past-south-africa-photos.html