The 29-year-old experienced really good times in Norway too. At the wheel of the all-electric ID.4 GTX, Wincent Weiss explored the dreamlike fjord landscapes and marvelled at the spectacular views on the “Atlantic Ocean Road” – one of the most famous car routes in the world.
On the road on the famous “Atlantic Ocean Road” Wincent Weiss tests the ID.4 GTX in Norway
02/02/22
He is one of Germany’s most successful musicians: Wincent Weiss. The singer and songwriter has recently recorded several hits (“Feuerwerk”, “Musik sein”) and sang the European Championship hit “Gute Zeiten” last summer – together with his friend Johannes Oerding.
In the interview, the singer talks about e-mobility and his love of nature and his sustainable tour in the far north.
The starting point of the tour was the idyllic town of Molde, nestled in the impressive fjord landscape. From there, Wincent Weiss headed north through barren mountain landscapes on the famous “Atlantic Ocean Road” – the absolute highlight of the tour. In addition to a breathtaking view of the sea, this section of the route also offers a challenging road layout.
Wincent Weiss has been a fan of e-mobility for years and has already driven Volkswagen’s ID.3 and ID.4. He was also enthusiastic about the ID.4 GTX he drove in Norway, because it combines common sense and sustainability with driving pleasure, spaciousness, cool design and sportiness. The ID.4 GTX has 220 kW (299 PS) as maximum power, a range of up to 480 kilometres. After only 30 minutes of fast charging, you can cover another 300 kilometres with it. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds – all locally CO2-free. In addition, the ID.4 GTX is an all-rounder – very sporty thanks to all-wheel drive and offers as much space as an ordinary SUV.
You were driving one of the most impressive motorways in the world. What was going through your mind?
“I just enjoyed it. Because when I’m driving, I’m generally the most relaxed person in the world, because I drive so much (laughs). I cover about 100,000 kilometres a year in the car. But of course you are amazed here, every few metres the view changes and you discover something new and beautiful. You are allowed to drive 80 km/h on the country road in Norway, but I was driving at 50 km/h to enjoy the whole thing.”
Wincent, what were the highlights of your car tour in Norway?
“I definitely had good times! On the first day there were bright blue skies and you could really enjoy the landscape. Day two was unfortunately rainy, but driving the famous Atlantic Ocean Road was still an absolute dream. I love the sea – I come from the Baltic Sea – and there was water everywhere and imposing mountain landscapes in the background. The two worlds that I love so much and that I also know from my home country come together here: the sea from northern Germany and the mountains around Munich. Norway is simply beautiful.”
You are also a “Northern light”, you come from Schleswig-Holstein. Did you feel at home right away?
“I feel very, very comfortable here. When some people say: ‘In Norway it’s always so windy and it rains a lot’, I answer: ‘It’s like at home.’ (laughs). I love the flat countryside of my home in Schleswig-Holstein, but here in Norway I would say the landscape is even more idyllic: you see mountains everywhere, the fjords everywhere … For me it is almost a dream of where I would like to live one day.”
It is important to me to shape my life and my future as sustainably as possible so that we can continue to experience our beautiful nature for a long time to come.
Wincent Weiss
You drove the all-wheel drive version of the ID.4 GTX for the first time – what did you like about it?
“I was already familiar with the ID.4 GTX, but I had not yet driven it over such long distances. Of course, driving the car through city traffic is different from being on the Atlantic Ocean Road here. The ID.4 GTX has even more power than the other electric models. But I use it here for completely decelerated driving.”
How did the charging work? In Norway there is already a massive expansion of e-infrastructure …
“I noticed that the charging points at the hotels in Norway are much better developed than here. You can easily charge the car overnight. I have a range of up to 480 kilometres with the ID.4 GTX and drove about 200 kilometres per day. So I could easily dock the car overnight – and the next day it was fully charged. So, very easy.”
Why is driving an electric car of such importance for you?
“I have a large number of followers on social media and many fans, so I have a certain role model function. And I would like to raise children with a clear conscience and have grandchildren at some point. That’s why it’s important to me to shape my life and my future as sustainably as possible, so that we can continue to experience our beautiful nature for a long time to come.”
Wincent Weiss tests the ID.4 GTX on the famous “Atlantic Ocean Road” in Norway
What else do you do for a sustainable lifestyle?
“So, living 100 per cent sustainably doesn’t work yet, in my opinion. But everyone can do their bit. For example, on tour we don’t use paper cups anymore, but have our own cups with us. If everyone drinks three coffees a day, that’s 150 paper cups that would end up in the rubbish every day. It really does not need to be that way.”
What are the reactions like when you drive an electric car? What do your friends say about it?
“So far, I have only received positive reactions. Of course, at the beginning it was unusual for some people to see me in an electric car, because I was always the sportier type and also rode a motorbike, for example. A good friend of mine now also drives one and has sold his combustion engine. My mother drives an electric car at work and my music producer is also considering switching to an electric car. I think e-mobility is becoming more and more a part of our everyday lives. The development in this area is already very advanced and everything is happening very, very quickly. No sooner had the ID.3 arrived than there was the ID.4, and soon there will be the ID.5. The expansion of the grid is also being pushed ahead quickly. That’s why I think it won’t be long before a large part of humanity is travelling electrically.”
What is most important aspect to you in a car?
“The issue of sustainability is, of course, paramount. I love it when a car can accelerate, when I can listen to music and make loud phone calls. And when the guitar also fits in the back.”
