Just when it seems there may be no new frontiers for adventurers and explorers to conquer, along comes an ambitious project to circumnavigate the globe in an electric vehicle by Lexie Alford, the youngest person to visit every country in the world.
Her ‘Charge Around The Globe’ in the new electric Ford Explorer will take in six continents and more than 30 countries on an adventure that echoes the spirit shown by fellow adventurer Aloha Wanderwell, who became the first female to drive around the world a century ago.
Aloha used a petrol-powered Ford for her journey and encountered numerous obstacles that required unusual solutions, like having oxen pull the car across mud flats, sand and rivers in India, and having human-powered help in China to pull it for miles as civil warfare made buying fuel impossible.
The electric Ford Explorer is a pre-production prototype model that is as close as possible to the vehicle customers will experience when on sale in Europe next summer. With no special modifications to tackle the challenges that await, it’s a vehicle tailor-made for adventure and will keep her connected, comfortable and ready for anything on the ultimate road trip.
Epic Journey
“This is an epic journey to prove what’s possible in an electric vehicle, as we know range and charging are the two main concerns people have when thinking about making the switch to electric,” says Martin Sander, general manager, Ford Model e Europe. “Lexie will be putting charging infrastructure to the ultimate test; if she can get around the world in an EV, then anyone can use one in Europe, every day.”
Inspiration from Aloha Wanderwell’s journey will influence the route, yet Lexie will ultimately be taking her own path as she deals with severe weather, unpredictable terrain or lack of charging infrastructure, all while aiming to complete the first circumnavigation of the globe in an electric vehicle. She will be backed by a crew that includes security, medics, and mechanical and software support with dynamic risk assessments happening at the beginning of each day.
Tough One
“This is an adventure, but a tough one. It will be tough on the Explorer and with the amount of time on the road alone it will be tough on me and the support crew,” says Lexie. “Any adventure worth having should challenge you though, and I can’t wait to explore the new places and meet incredible people to find out how they’re trying to make their corners of the world better.”
Lexie’s journey will be live with regular updates for the duration of her trip. You can follow the journey by searching #ChargeAroundTheGlobe or following @lexielimitless.
Colin Windell - proudly CHANGECARS
