Wiebe Wakker set himself the challenge of driving from the Netherlands to Australia in an electric car with no money. To help get him there he asked strangers to house/feed him or help him charge up his electric car – people all over the world from 45 different countries offered to help Wiebe in his adventure. Since returning from his adventure, Wiebe has become a highly popular keynote speaker who shares the trials and tribulations he faced, and how his audience can reach their goals through determination. Along his journey, Wiebe interviewed numerous sustainable initiatives, learning about the different environmental challenges in different countries, and learning about the solutions available to tackle these problems.
In 2014 Wiebe graduated from Utrecht University with a Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Economics. After graduating from University, Wiebe worked for UDC Events as an Events Marketer and then became an Events Manager at IJskoud Concept & Events before working in online communications for ID&T. Wiebe has always been passionate about a sustainable future which very few people could have imagined he would drive for three years, across 33 different countries for a total of 95,000km in his mission to help accelerate a low-carbon future.
Wiebe started his ‘Plug Me In’ project in 2016 and departed from the Netherlands on 15th March 2016. During his journey which became the longest ever distance travelled by an electric car, Wiebe was featured on the likes of the BBC, CNN and Bloomberg to name a few. Even though he faced numerous challenges along the way, including his car battery blowing up in India, leading Wiebe stranded, he never gave up. Sheiks in Dubai and a Malaysian Prince were among a few of the numerous people who helped Wiebe and were fascinated by his story.
Thousands of strangers helped Wiebe, his journey is a testament to the kindness of strangers and the potential of sustainable mobility. He wants to inspire people to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and now challenges people to embrace, and make this change in their lives. During his trip, Wiebe spoke at various schools, universities, embassies and NGOs sharing why we need to make this switch to a greener and more sustainable lifestyle. Having spoken to the likes of Coca-Cola, PwC, Volkswagen, Michelin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if you are looking for an experienced speaker to learn about the changes you can make to help become more eco-friendly, hire Wiebe Wakker as he shares the lessons he learned from his 1,119-day journey.
Wiebe Wakker is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Wiebe’s ability to convey his journey engagingly and authentically made a profound impact on all attendees, captivated the audience and left us inspired. His genuine passion for a sustainable future was evident throughout his talk, as he shared the challenges and triumphs he experienced during his long journey. His anecdotes and visuals brought his adventure to life and encouraged us to consider the importance of embracing eco-friendly solutions in our everyday lives.
Not only was Wiebe an exceptional storyteller, but he also demonstrated a deep understanding of the current issues surrounding sustainability. His vast knowledge in these areas allowed him to present complex topics in an approachable and relatable way, which resonated with the audience on a personal level.
As a speaker, Wiebe is incredibly personable and approachable. He has a unique ability to connect with a diverse audience, and his enthusiasm for his subject matter is contagious. His presentation left us all with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to take action towards a more sustainable future.”
“As an innovation centre in the creative industry, we are always looking for inspiration: Wiebe certainly gave us that. With his story about his world trip in an electric car, he managed to enthuse the companies in the room and, not unimportantly, make them laugh. Wiebe speaks in a down-to-earth and spontaneous way and really stands as himself on the stage. He makes you think, not only about sustainability but especially about jumping in at the deep end and going on an adventure. I can heartily recommend Wiebe as a speaker in the business world.”
“We really enjoyed Wiebe’s stories about his bizarre trip to Australia in an electric car. It was very inspiring to hear him talk about the more than 95,000 kilometres and 33 countries of the longest journey ever in an electric car. With his down-to-earth humorous comments on the visual spectacle, Wiebe knows how to captivate to the end. You get the urge to travel and it helps almost therapeutically against ‘range anxiety!'”
“At ‘Impact Event Sustainable Zeist’, Wiebe gave a fantastic presentation about his journey in an electric car from the Netherlands to Australia. During his lively talk, interspersed with anecdotes, self-mockery and humour, everyone was hanging on his every word. Many beautiful photos and videos made his story and the challenges he faced understandable. This can inspire everyone in the field of sustainable mobility, the goodness of people and problem-solving!”
“DB Breweries/HEINEKEN was lucky to host Wiebe on the last leg of his around-the-world trip in New Zealand. Wiebe’s authentic, easy-going style presentation style was well-received by our staff and his talk was entertaining and informative. Our staff came away more informed about EVs and inspired them to live a little more sustainably in their own lives.”
“Wiebe is an inspiring and enthusiastic speaker! The very same week he concluded his world tour in an electric vehicle, he took the time to come into the LinkedIn Sydney office to tell his story. He inspired many of my colleagues on the possibilities of EVs! I would highly recommend Wiebe as a public speaker.”
“Innovation, sustainability, inspiration, adventure, humour, life lessons and so on and so forth. I enjoyed Wiebe’s presentation at Hoogheemraadschap Delfland about his trip to Australia and all the life lessons he learned from it. It was very inspiring to hear Wiebe talk about the ups and downs and even though I will never make such a journey myself, the ‘journey’ and development of the person Wiebe is very recognisable.
Wiebe takes you completely along in his car in just under 50 minutes and the joy of crossing the finish line was tangible even for me because I was so carried along. Wiebe, thank you for your beautiful story, I wish and hope that you may inspire many more people and I and many of my colleagues are eagerly awaiting your book!”
“What an incredibly strong story. Our people at Coca-Cola were very enthusiastic and inspired by Wiebe’s story. Beautiful insights and so down to earth, everyone should hear this once!”
“Wiebe recently told his amazing story at the municipality of Amsterdam at the Department of Space and Sustainability. It is a boy’s book full of adventure and challenges that seem insuperable. You could captivate the audience with just the pictures, but during your story, you discuss topics such as sustainability, collaboration and dealing with setbacks. My colleagues left the meeting inspired. Highly recommended!”
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