200 Days, 27 Countries, 1 Electric Vehicle: Behind Ford’s Docuseries Adventure
‘Charge Around The Globe’ is a simple enough idea to explain. A three-part docuseries on Prime Video that follows traveller Lexie Limitless as she attempts to circumnavigate the globe in an electric vehicle – the Ford Explorer. Making it a reality was less simple.
Lexie covered over 30,000 kilometres across six continents in her journey and the resulting series – available to watch on Prime Video in the UK and on YouTube – highlights the capabilities of modern electric vehicles and the challenges of global travel, including navigating charging infrastructure and diverse terrains.
The adventure, inspired by Aloha Wanderwell’s 1920s Ford Model T world tour, features Lexie driving the electric Ford Explorer 100 years later, while meeting people and tackling logistical challenges in her pursuit of a world record. Filmed over 200 days across 27 countries, from Nice, France, to Mombasa, Kenya, before continuing through Australia, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, the production had to adhere to strict criteria for record-setting and took some serious planning, including securing permits, managing vehicle logistics, and addressing weather and safety considerations.
The initial concept of sending a woman around the world in an EV came from AMV BBDO, says David Colman, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy London – the agency that created the series and produced it through its in-house studio WracK. “It was an incredible foundation,” he reflects. “What hooked me most was the historical parallel: Aloha Wanderwell driving a Ford Model T around the world 100 years ago. It’s a story that deserved to be reimagined for a new generation.”
When it came to Wieden+Kennedy, Ford had already announced it was undertaking the journey, so the new agency was asked to determine what shape the new story should take, and ultimately work out how to make it achievable. “Our aim was to evolve it into something truly entertaining,” says David.
Adding a strong entertainment hook, Wieden+Kennedy turned it into a world record attempt, developed the format to include the impressive trailblazers that Lexie would meet along the way, and brought it to life as ‘Charge Around the Globe’. “From the name to the structure, our aim was to create more than just a documentation of a journey,” says David. “It had to stand as an entertainment property in its own right, inspired by Aloha’s legacy but relevant for today.”
Working with executive producer and format creator Mark Saben and director Chris Faith, the creative team shaped it into a cinematic, emotionally engaging series that explores resilience, innovation, and cultural connections across the world. “And of course, setting a world record was a pretty amazing way to top it all off,” adds David.
More than a three-hour commercial, the series marks a real historic moment in transport history that we’re all living through. “The transition to electric vehicles is one of the most significant and debated shifts in the world today, touching everything from energy infrastructure to consumer habits,” says David.
But not everyone is as excited about the transition. “For lots of people, the shift can feel daunting—range anxiety, charging accessibility, and perceptions of EV performance are all consumer barriers to adoption. We hope that this series can cut through those concerns by showing, not telling, what EVs can do. By embarking on a 200-day, real-world test of the Ford Explorer EV, we wanted to push the boundaries of what people think is possible with electric vehicles. Tackling these challenges head-on—warts and all—makes the story not just compelling but credible.”
David admires the brand’s honest approach. “Ford’s willingness to address the hard questions in an honest and transparent way shows this isn’t about marketing a car—it’s about contributing to the broader cultural shift toward cleaner, smarter travel,“ he says.
It is an act of marketing of course. And selling a new EV model isn’t without its challenges. “The EV market is extremely crowded, and the explosion of new models and nameplates has led to a lot of similar messaging from brands,” says David. To stand out, Wieden+Kennedy needed to find a way to go beyond just saying the Ford Explorer EV is capable. “We had to prove it.” The series provided a platform to showcase its real-world potential in a way that cuts through the noise. “It’s not just branded content - it’s a compelling story that resonates in an extremely competitive space,” says David.
Finding the right shape of project for the task was one of the most important decisions. Mark Saben brought his expertise from the BBC’s ‘Race Across the World’ and together with the agency helped lock in the idea of a world record attempt. Their driver would be the first person to circumnavigate the world in an eclectic vehicle. That gave the team a clear framework, with certain miles, countries, and other criteria to hit. It also gave the show a sense of jeopardy.
“Another critical choice was weaving in stories of other trailblazers like Lexie and drawing inspiration from Aloha Wanderwell,” says David. “These moments added depth and allowed us to structure episodes around compelling human stories, not just the journey.”
Jeopardy was sort of the energy that ‘Charge Around The World’ ran on (as well as electricity). “This kind of storytelling thrives on the unexpected—that’s what makes it compelling,” says David. “But it requires a brave client to commit to a 200-day shoot where so much is unscripted and constantly changing. While we mapped out the countries and contributors in advance, things inevitably went off course. When one thing went wrong, it rippled across everything else. Thankfully, the team at Ford was flexible and trusted the process, adapting quickly to any roadblocks. Their openness was critical to navigating the journey’s twists and turns.”
Jennifer Lawlor, executive producer at WracK, had to concern herself intimately with those twists and turns. “The journey was filled with immense challenges, from the planning stages all the way through to the shoot itself,” she says. “Attempting to set a world record was never going to be easy, and at times, both from a production and logistical perspective, it felt almost impossible.”
In the end, the team spent 200 days on the road—originally planned for just 90—with nearly every day requiring a meticulously coordinated unit move. “For an ambitious project like ‘Charge Around The Globe,’ we could plan for as much as humanly possible, but the reality was that things were constantly evolving, and that’s what makes the series so captivating,” says Jennifer. “As you watch, you’ll see how even a small delay—like a slow charging station—can set off a ripple effect across the entire schedule and route. But stopping was never an option, not with a world record at stake and the goal of eventually getting everyone home.
“Maintaining momentum was crucial. Our team in London worked almost around the clock, tirelessly supporting our incredible on-location crew. They constantly paved the way for the journey to continue safely, no matter the hurdle.”
You can imagine the kind of tedious complexity that formed many of those hurdles. Jennifer and her team had to be across the details. “This meant navigating a complex web of logistics, from embassy approvals, insurance, car registrations (remember, we crossed 27 borders, and each border crossing came with a mountain of paperwork — not to mention carnets, visas, and more), to rerouting due to charging issues and managing illness, among many other challenges. The production team and all those involved, proved to be a powerhouse of determination, relentlessly pushing forward to make this extraordinary journey possible,” she says.
Eventually, the journey amounted to 20TB of footage and it was time to find the story in that. The team at W+K and WracK set to meticulously reviewing the footage. “For those of us more accustomed to creating 30-second spots, this was a huge learning curve, but we leaned on team members with experience in long-form storytelling,” says David. “Breaking the series into episodes, then scenes, allowed us to shape the narrative step by step. Our editor was invaluable, helping us craft something cohesive and compelling out of such a massive archive.”
Jennifer doesn’t have time in our interview to list the nerve-wracking challenges that she and her team got through together to bring ‘Charge Around The Globe’ to life. “The behind-the-scenes was filled with countless tense moments, as the stakes were incredibly high throughout,” she says. “The nature of this production is what makes the series so compelling: constant challenges and ever-present jeopardy. These are two words we’re all too familiar with in production, but when you’re facing them day in and day out, they quickly become relentless.”
It certainly wasn’t all fun and games. “The domino effect of any delay, especially on day 102 of an ever-expanding schedule, creates an intense atmosphere,” says the EP, “You’re in a constant state of problem-solving, and waiting for things like visa approvals after a schedule change only adds to the pressure. The stakes were high—if that visa didn’t come through within 24 hours, we might have to reroute again, which could force us to rethink everything we had planned for the next eight weeks. Moments like these were frequent, and tensions were often high.”
They got through it though. And we like to think it was all worth it for the team when they experienced the captivating moments that travel can provide. For David, the most unforgettable was when Lexie finally made it into Bhutan. “Watching that footage felt like stepping into another world—it was a true adventure into the far corners of the globe. That moment captured the magic and purpose of the entire series.”
