Some of the highest and most tortuous roads in the Highlands and islands will be used to put an electric car through its paces.
One the routes that will be tackled by the BMWi3 test car will be the Bealach-na-Ba, between Applecross and Kishorn, which rises to about 2,053ft over about four miles.
It will also attempt the Mam Ratagan Pass, which is one of the highest mountain passes in the UK, and will travel across the Kylerhea Straits, between Glenelg and Kylerhea on Skye, on Glenachulish, which is the world’s last manually operated turntable ferry.
The trial was launched from Inverness on Saturday morning with the test car setting off from the Royal Highland Hotel on the banks of the River Ness.
The challenging route was chosen to test how the plug-in car would work out of town, where charging points would be few and far between.
Livingston-based technology company Route Monkey are behind the trial which aims to prove that the electric car is a viable option in more remote areas.
The seven day tour will also take in Tain in Easter Ross, Bonar Bridge in Sutherland and the Western Isles, before finishing back in the Highland Capital on Friday.
The aim of the event is to promote awareness that electric vehicles have a place in both city and rural communities and that electricity is a reliable method of powering vehicles.
Route Monkey chief executive Colin Ferguson said: “Driving our Route Monkey BMWi3 on a tour of pre-selected communities we can demonstrate that plug-in vehicles are not just for cities, but can also work for individuals, businesses and as community assets.
Highland MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander set the tour on its way from Inverness on Saturday morning.
He said: “Electric vehicles are not just for the city. Increasing ranges and availability of charging points mean that electric cars can be used over longer distances and help keep our communities connected.”