Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart said supporting the race is important in growing the popularity of environmentally-friendly travel.

He said: "The competition starting in Tallinn will, with the rest of Estonia, set us as an example to other countries that e-cars can be used in racing competition – just as Jüri Tamm, who founded the race, was an example to many and represented the country."

Jüri Tamm (1957-2021) was a two-time olympic bronze medalist in the hammer throw, and chief organizer of the Tallinn-Monte Carlo e-rally, which started in 2011.

Competition chief organizer Marko Välja meanwhile said that Tamm: "Was a real visionary, someone who was ahead of his time.

"He wanted to demonstrate that driving through Europe in an electric car is achievable, and he wanted to popularize electric cars," Välja continued via a Tallinn City Government press release.
 
"In the course of this competition, we will highlight environmentally sustainable innovation in vehicle development. At the same time, the competition allows manufacturers to demonstrate their newest electric vehicles, and put them to the test against competitors," he added.

Tamm was also honorary consul of the Principality of Monaco, in Estonia.

Unlike more traditional rallies and races, the e-car marathon concentrates on accuracy rather than speed. Competitors must follow pace car's speed and naturally, since the competition takes place on public roads, follow traffic regulations.

The team whose time is closest to the pace car is the winner, while not only arriving later than the pace car at the finish, but in particular arriving ahead of it, incurs penalties.

The whacky races' (provisional) schedule, on Sunday, August 28, is as follows:

8.40: Pace car starts

9.00: competitors start, from the Estonian National Opera House, at a signal given by Tallinn Deputy Mayor Vadim Belobrovtsev (Center).

11:00: Finish of stage one, Iseseisvuse väljak, Pärnu.

13:00: Start of stage two, same location.

15:30: Finish of stage two, Raekoja plats, Tartu.

17:30: Start of stage three.

20:00: Finish,  Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square), tallinn.

21.00: Closing ceremony, Mayor Kõlvart presents awards to winners.

Teams are made up of e-cars made by Tesla, Volvo, Volkswagen, Hyundai and others.

The original Tallinn-Monte Carlo Rally ran in 1930, during the period of the First Estonian Republic, and ran each year until 1939. It was revived in 2011 by Prince Albert II of Monaco, together with Jüri Tamm, under the new e-rules.

The official EV Marathon Facebook page is here.