An electric vehicle owner has set a new world record for the fewest charge stops to cross New Zealand, in an electric car.

John Fitness drove his Tesla Model 3 from Cape Reinga – the northern-most point the North Island accessible by car – to Bluff, the southern-most point of New Zealand’s South-Island.

Mr Fitness arrived in Bluff last night (Friday, February 6) at 9.34 pm after leaving Cape Reinga at 5.27 am the day before (Thursday, February 5).

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The total 2,008-kilometer trip took him approximately 40 hours, but most incredibly - he only stopped to charge up his car at six points along the way.

“The last record was 25 [charges], so we’ve smashed it,” Mr Fitness said. 

The previous record of 25 charges was set in a Nissan Leaf.

Mr Fitness said he wanted to prove that electric vehicles can do so much more than pottering short-distances around town– so he thought what better way to do it than by driving the length of the country.

“Range anxiety and fear of being stranded seems to be the excuse for many Kiwis who are continuing to wait to switch to electrified transport,” he said.

“I want[ed] to dispel the myth; that EVs can't easily do long range road-trips, and least of all in New Zealand'.

He stopped to charge Whangarei, Hamilton and Mangaweka in the North Island and Ward, Christchurch and Palmerston in the South Island using 258 kWh of energy.

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He said New Zealand has the charging infrastructure now to accommodate electric vehicles on longer trips. 

His Tesla Model 3 operates the standard 50 kw/hr battery and averaging 126 wh/km, the total trip cost him just $117.69 - proving that not only is his EV capable of travelling long distances but is incredibly efficient to run too. 

In true Kiwi roadie style, Mr Fitness drove the whole way in a pair of jandals – as they’re easy to slip on and off, he said.

Mr Fitness said he was blown away by all the support he had from the communities that he visited along the way. 

Fitness shared his journey via the real-time, location-sharing Glympse app, so that over 2000 members in the EV owners Facebook page could follow along with him on his journey.

“I was sharing my location the whole way through… and loads of Teslas joined us, they’d just be waiting on the roadside, as they could see me coming on Glympse, and they’d join like a little mini convoy.”

“One guy joined us for four hours.”

“The local people have come out for every [stop] so I’ve actually had to stop for longer… so not for the charging but this,” he said, gesturing to the group of keen EV enthusiasts who had gathered at Stirling Point in Bluff to see Mr Fitness arrive. 

Among the group of welcomers in Bluff was Sir Tim Shadbolt himself. 

Sir Tim Shadbolt congratulates John Fitness on his achievement as he arrives in Bluff, at the end of his over 2000 kilometre journey. 

Mr Fitness said meeting Sir Tim last night was just awesome. 

“I’ve always wanted to meet Tim Shadbolt actually, so I actually wrote to him about two weeks ago asking to meet him – so this in genuinely the highlight of my trip.”

“He’s the coolest guy, he’s such a Kiwi icon.”

Mr Fitness then joined Sir Tim this morning for Waitangi Day festivities at Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff – “what an adventure,” Mr Fitness said. 

Mr Fitness has had his record confirmed but said will take up to 16 weeks for the Guinness World Book of records officials to review the evidence.