Yahoo News Meet the Kent dads taking on a Top Gear-style world record attempt
A trio of intrepid dads will drive an electric car across Europe at speeds as low as 25mph in a bid to charge their way into the Guinness Book of Records. Ian Joynson, Umit Sabanci and Misha Nahorny, all from the Sevenoaks area, set off on the Top Gear-style challenge from the Netherlands on Saturday, June 22.
Their aim is to get to Ruggell in Liechtenstein 400 miles away, and set the record for the most countries visited by an electric car on a single charge. In order to get the most juice from the battery they have worked out they need to travel very slowly - with no air con or music. As well as the record attempt the dads are also raising money for Guy's Cancer Charity.
Ian, 46, said: "At that speed it will be really slow going and I'm not sure what drivers in various countries across Europe are going to make of it, I just hope they're patient. But it'll be an adventure and we're hoping to raise plenty of money for a very worthy cause. If we make the world record that would be the icing on the cake, even if we don't hold it for all that long as electric vehicle technology continues to advance."
The three dads, who met through Sevenoaks School, will charge the car - a Lucid Air GT, lent for free by Lucid - in Maastricht. From here they hope to go through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria and Lichtenstein.
This will give them eight countries, enough to beat the existing record set of seven by Frederick van Overloop in 2016. And if all goes well and the team make it to the top of the Splugen Pass, in Italy, it might even be nine countries.
To get in the Guinness Book of Records they have to meet regulations such as filming via an in-car camera at all times, a GPS tracker and dragging an independent witness along with them throughout the overnight journey. Although Umit should be able to take this in his stride having already set two previous world records. These are “Most Countries visited in 24 hours by Public transport” and “Fastest circumnavigation by scheduled flights” .
Ian, who works for the unrelated housing association, The Guinness Partnership, added: "For a geek like me it's been so interesting to plan this, learning about how Guinness World Records adjudicate things, different routes and how far electric vehicles have come. But much more important is the cause, very few of us will have lives untouched by cancer. Guy's Hospital saves lives every day and supports families through the most difficult of times."
To donate visit their Just Giving Page. To find out more about the charity visit here
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