How Long Would It Take to Drive Around the Earth if All Cars Were On at Once?

The idea of driving all the world's cars simultaneously around the Earth is more than a harmless thought experiment. When combined, it presents an intriguing journey that could potentially circle the globe many times over. Let's dive into the details and explore the possibilities.

Current Global Car Population

As of 2023, there are approximately 1.474 billion vehicles circulating the globe. To put this into perspective, let's consider the average driving distance and annual vehicle activity. In countries like Canada, the average vehicle travels around 15,200 kilometers each year—approximately 0.38 of the circumference of the Earth.

Total Annual Global Travel

If we multiply the number of cars by the average annual distance traveled, we find that all vehicles together travel a staggering 560 million times around the Earth in a single year. This is calculated as follows:

1.474 billion vehicles * 15,200 km/year ≈ 560 million laps around the world.

With 31,556,926 seconds in a year, the calculation shows that it would take some time and patience to account for all this travel. However, the actual time to navigate the Earth via any given vehicle depends on several factors.

Driving Speeds and Road Conditions

The speed at which you can travel the Earth depends on the type of vehicle and road conditions. For example, in Germany, driving on the autobahn, you can expect an average speed of 65 mph (105 km/h) on normal weekdays, with legal speed limits in place. However, on an empty road during early Sundays, you might push your speed to 120 mph (193 km/h).

Driving both a supercar and a truck would significantly alter the time required to travel the Earth. For a supercar with optimal conditions and constant speed, you might be able to drive around the world in about 25 days. For a truck, with typical city and highway conditions, the time would be much longer, likely measured in months.

Global Latitude and Road Quality

The latitude at which you travel the world also affects the speed and distance. The circumference of the Earth changes depending on the latitude. For example:

90° (Poles): 0 miles 51°: 15,706 miles 0° (Equator): 24,907 miles

At the poles, such a journey is would be impractical. Traveling at the equator would be feasible, but the distance would be much greater (24,907 miles).

Real-World Experiences and Interviews

Real-world experiences and interviews with travel enthusiasts provide additional insights. For instance, a team from the TV show "Odyssey" completed a 66,000-kilometer journey from San Francisco, taking several months. This real-life example suggests that even with modern vehicles and proper planning, a circumnavigation of the Earth could be accomplished, albeit over an extended period.

Additionally, while driving is one plausible mode of travel, waterborne journeys can also be considered. Ferries are often used to cross large bodies of water. A journey across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans would be another alternative method for reaching the same destination.

Conclusion

In summary, the concept of driving all the world's cars simultaneously around the Earth is both fascinating and challenging. Taking into account the number of vehicles, driving speeds, road conditions, and the actual distance to be traveled, it becomes clear that such a journey would be both demanding and lengthy. Nonetheless, with the right technology, planning, and support, it is a feasible and potentially thrilling endeavor.