A Japanese man will attempt to travel around the world on an emission-free battery-powered scooter to highlight environmental concerns.
On 19 March, Kanichi Fujiwara will begin his 41,000km journey to Mexico, which is expected to take around three years.
Fujiwara will ride a Yamaha Passol scooter, marketed as the first mass-produced electric scooter in 2002. It weighs just 44kg when fitted with its lithium-ion battery, which can power the scooter for roughly 32km on one charge. The vehicle has a rated output of 0.58kW.
For areas where Fujiwara will be unable to stop at local inns to recharge his battery, such as in inhospitable stretches of Australia, his wife will ride along with him on a 250cc petrol scooter with six spare batteries.
(Picture from Yamaha Motor Corporation Japan.)