GENEVA — Electric vehicles from Australia, Germany and Switzerland set off Monday on the "longest and greenest" round-the-world drive to endorse emissions free transport and November's world climate conference.The UN-backed "Zero Race" is organized by Swiss schoolteacher Louis Palmer, who made headlines with his 18-month revolutionary world tour in a solar-powered "taxi" two years ago, picking up celebrities on the way.
"With this race we desire to show that seven billion people on this planet need renewable energy and clean mobility," said Palmer.
"Petrol is running out and the weather crisis is coming, and we are all running against time."
A South Korean vehicle failed to reach the begin line at the United Nations in Geneva in time after it broke down with "a minor battery problem" some 60 kilometers (37.3 miles) up the road, Palmer said.
It was due to join the extra three teams later in the day.
The Zero Race is forecast to stop off at the World Climate Conference in Cancun, Mexico, after touring through Europe, Russia, China, Canada and the United States before heading back to Geneva in January 2011.
Each plug-in electric vehicle can journey at least 250 kilometres on a single charge, with 80 days of driving time ahead of them.
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