A man who drove more than 7,760 miles across 10 different countries in an electric car has described the sense of achievement and the perspective on society that the adventure left him with.
After several weeks of planning, Victor Roche, 31, and his wife set out on the trip of a lifetime which would take them through several countries before finally reaching their destination in Beijing. They departed Munich on September 20, 2025 and managed to reach Beijing 30 days later—all in a Deepal S05 electric vehicle.
The couple’s 7,760-mile (12,500 kilometer) trip was planned alongside the Chinese automotive group, who helped map out the extensive routes. Roche, who resides in Paris, told Newsweek that most of the logistics were agreed “two weeks before departure,” although they only managed to secure their necessary Russian visas a couple of days before leaving.
“We started in Munich, Germany, then headed through Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria before entering Turkey,” Roche said. “From there, we crossed into Georgia, then Russia and Kazakhstan, finally entering China and finishing the journey in Beijing 30 days after departing from Munich.”
Driving an all-electric vehicle meant the pace and routes had to be decided based on charging points. This was “relatively easy” in certain parts of Europe, but once they crossed into Russia and Kazakhstan, more precise planning was required.
“Once you move into remote parts of Russia and Kazakhstan, you have to think carefully about where you will be able to plug in and how far you can go in a day. I always kept a buffer because bad roads or delays could easily add hours to a day,” Roche said.
While charging stations were an important factor, Roche couldn’t overlook the importance of geopolitics as they crossed certain borders. He told Newsweek that the “most difficult part” of the trip was navigating Russia, as it proved far more complicated than expected.
Roche explained that entering the country wasn’t so difficult, but GPS data was restricted due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. As a result, Roche had to rely solely on his “poor Russian skills” to navigate.
He said: “Given the security risks, we were stopped by the military and police about seven times a day. The stops could last anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour. Exiting the country was a bit more stressful as I was stopped at the border between Russia and Kazakhstan and interrogated about the reason for my trip. My personal devices were then scanned for sensitive content.
“Kazakhstan was the biggest logistical challenge; endless straight roads across emptiness with very little charging infrastructure in between large cities. Crossing into China with a foreign vehicle was a challenge. I had to convert my driving license into a Chinese temporary one after following a quick driving instruction at the local police station.”
The car was held at the border for four days before finally being released, meaning Roche had to drive 4,500 km from the border to Beijing in just four days. However, once they finally reached Beijing, he was filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
It was certainly difficult and exhausting at times, but Roche is so glad he accepted the challenge. He learned a great deal about different cultures and witnessed some of the best of humanity along the way.
Roche shared details of this once-in-a-lifetime trip in a Reddit post (user u/Flaesh1552), including photos taken throughout the journey. The post amazed internet users, leading to more than 9,500 votes and over 340 comments on Reddit at the time of writing.
Roche said: “This trip was a challenge to rally two points as fast as possible using an EV, rather than a sightseeing adventure. It strengthened my resolve that, despite what the global narrative tells us, we are much closer to each other than we think, geographically but also emotionally.
“Our leaders may disagree on some topics, but the people all wish for the same simple things in life: to live comfortably and be kind. Even in difficult situations, in parts of the world where we would be seen as hostile, we were helped by people who went out of their way to ensure our safe passage.”
For anyone looking to explore the world, traveling by road is the best way of doing so, according to Roche. It allows people to experience the local culture, cuisine, landscape and even the climate. While Roche believes that ignorance will always be present in society, he says traveling “is the best remedy.”
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