„Ignitis ON“ EV Race 2026: Baltic Science Centers Unite for a Sustainable Future

Start: „Mokslo sala“, Kaunas (Lithuania)

On June 12, visitors at Science Island will not only witness the start of the EV race but also participate in special activities designed to provide a closer look at energy, technology, and electric vehicles. The Science Island team, together with the „Ignitis“ Group, will invite over 180 students from engineering education schools across Lithuania. Students will participate in an orientation race within the Science Island exhibition "Man. Nature. Machine," searching for specially marked exhibits, completing tasks, and gaining hands-on knowledge about EVs, their operation, infrastructure, and green energy solutions. Visitors will also be invited to STEAM laboratories for special energy program educational sessions prepared by the Science Island team in cooperation with the #EnergySmartStart program initiated by „Ignitis“ Group. In the Robotics-IT lab, students will create wind turbine prototypes and seek solutions for efficient energy storage, while in the Physics-Engineering lab, they will tackle energy consumption challenges by analyzing daily electricity use and creating smart energy-saving systems. Throughout the day, additional partner initiatives will invite all visitors to interactively explore the energy sector, the future of EVs, and infrastructure. Mokslo sala is the first center for the promotion of science and innovation in Lithuania. It features a long-term exhibition with 140 objects, a modern planetarium, a STEAM center with four laboratories, and various cultural and educational activities.

Intermediate Stop: Space Education Center, Cēsis (Latvia)

After departing from Kaunas, participants will head toward Latvia, where they will encounter future technologies connecting Earth and space. At the Space Education Center in Cēsis, visitors can explore more than 100 interactive exhibits revealing how astronauts live and work in space, how rockets are launched, and how space technologies inspire innovation on Earth. Guests can test their reaction speed, experience astronaut training challenges, explore physics through hands-on experiments, and take part in workshops where science becomes a real adventure. The themes explored at the Space Education Center are closely connected to technologies behind electric mobility and sustainable energy. Space missions require highly efficient energy use, advanced battery systems, lightweight materials, and intelligent control technologies – many of the same innovations that drive modern electric vehicles. From energy management and propulsion concepts to data systems and engineering design, spacecraft and electric vehicles share common scientific foundations. By visiting the Space Education Center, guests can experience how science, engineering, and innovation connect the future of space exploration with the future of sustainable mobility on Earth.

Finish: „AHHAA“ Science Centre, Tartu (Estia)

The finish line will be crossed in Tartu, the science capital of Estonia, where EV technologies will be presented through practical experience. According to Pilvi Kolk, member of the board of AHHAA, the largest science centre in the Baltic States, one of the centre’s key roles is to help visitors understand the rapidly changing world around them: “Battery technologies and electric mobility will play a major role in all of our futures, which is why it is important to become familiar with them already today.” In 2013, AHHAA opened Estonia’s first electric vehicle demonstration centre, where visitors could compare electric and internal combustion engines and even take a test drive in an electric car. Continuing the theme, the finish of the Ignitis ON EV race will be preceded by a themed technology day in front of the centre, where visitors can explore electric machines and vehicles already in use today, ranging from smaller tools to heavy machinery. Kolk emphasises that the role of science centres is not only to explain the laws of physics or chemistry, but also to make future solutions tangible for the public: “When visitors can see and experience new technologies for themselves, the fear of the unknown often disappears and curiosity grows about how these solutions may shape our everyday lives and environment.”

Anyone who wishes to participate in the „Ignitis ON“ EV race is welcome! You can find the rules and register here: https://ignitison.lt/varzybu-registracija