It takes courage to do what you think is impossible anyway.
Maarten van Pel and Renske Cox had this courage.
And so the two Dutchmen set off to travel all the way to South Africa in an electric car with a roof tent on the roof.
Camping Ratgeber:
To South Africa and back in an electric car
38,000 kilometers, 38 countries crossed, and above all, with the energy that the sun can provide.
This unique challenge was not simply to be a journey with a roof tent through a faraway country.
It was to be an expedition that demonstrated the possibilities offered by e-mobility – and that even long, adventurous journeys can be sustainable.
Here, the pair talk about their tour through Africa.
Always along the coast: electric car with solar power
Maarten and Renske set foot on African soil in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta after crossing over from Spain to the continent.
From there, they made their way to Morocco and continued south along the west coast of Africa until they finally reached Cape Town.
From the south of Morocco to the coast of Ghana, the duo drove their Skoda Enyaq iV80 solely on self-generated solar power.
They had covered the Skycamp Mini on the roof of the car, which would be their sleeping place for the 13 months to South Africa and back, with solar panels.
On rest days, they also set up 60 m² of solar panels on a dune, on a soccer pitch or in another open space in the countryside.
On one charging day, they generated enough energy on average to drive 200 to 250 kilometers.
Perfect solutions? There are none!
But when it comes to the energy transition, neither Renske nor Maarten believe there is one perfect solution.
They knew that generating 100% of the required energy with their solar modules alone was not the goal.
Instead, creative solutions were to pave the way through Africa.
Maarten van Pel is convinced: “We can tackle challenges by combining new technologies.”
In some African countries, such as Morocco, Namibia, South Africa and Kenya, there were charging stations that the couple wanted to use.
In South Africa, they even enjoyed a fast-charging network from Cape Town to the border with Mozambique.
After that, however, they didn’t see a single fast-charging station on their way back along the east coast to Kenya.
With a roof tent and solar energy on the roof
What’s more, the sun doesn’t shine every day in Africa either.
And indeed: from Ghana to Angola, there was not a single day with a bright blue sky.
Nevertheless, the two managed to obtain 54% of the electricity they needed from the sun, which amounted to 2,056 kWh of the total 3,808 kWh required.
Renske Cox: “It was a challenge to find free areas in the dense jungle to lay out our large solar modules away from the shade.
But we always managed somehow and in the end we generated more solar energy than expected.”
A journey leaves its mark
But it wasn’t just the challenge of crossing Africa in an electric car with a roof tent that still shapes their memories of the trip today.
Namibia impressed them above all with its untouched and vast nature.
Sierra Leone above all because of the friendliness of the people.
To name just two of their highlights.
Ultimately, they both say, the whole trip changed their entire way of thinking and living.
The roof tent, on the other hand, changed little during the trip.
Even after months in the African sun, the Skycamp Mini continued to show its best side.
Only the mattress was replaced after around three months with a self-inflating comfort mattress, which CAMPWERK quickly sent to the couple.
For long-term travelers in particular, this always proves to be a great benefit in terms of sleeping comfort.
Maarten van Pel: “I have generally slowed down and learned to live only in the now, one day at a time.
The traveling life requires a flexible approach, because no two days are the same.
Traveling has taken us out of the culture and rhythm of our home country.
It has changed my perspective on what is important in life.”
Future plans after the trip
Back in the Netherlands, Maarten van Pel and Renske Cox are eager to share their experiences not only on their website , but also as tangible presentations: Since their return, they have been on stage as speakers for companies and events interested in sustainability, innovation and cross-border adventures.
Their story not only sheds light on the technological innovation of their sustainable expedition, but also on how a bold idea became a plan for a feasible expedition.
How did that work?
Maarten van Pel has some good advice: “Don’t think too much and too long about an idea.
It’s good to have a goal and stick to it, but don’t try to plan all the details.
It’s also okay to remain naive in some areas.
And there will always be reasons why you shouldn’t do something – there will always be obstacles.
But if you’re flexible and don’t lose sight of the end goal, much more is possible than you think!”
