The 2026 Taklimakan Rally will debut a new category for electric vehicles along with an ultramarathon stage.

It will begin on May 16 in Ürümqi and finish on June 3 in Aksu City, crossing nearly eight thousand kilometers with 4,200 km being specials. 60% of the route goes through desert.

From Ürümqi, the race goes through Turpan, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Hotan Prefecture, Kashgar Prefecture, Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, and Aksu Prefecture. Race organizers note these districts are overseen by the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 14th Divisions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (Bingtuan), an enterprise and paramilitary that essentially controls operations in Xinjiang.

The race presentation took place on February 5 in Ürümqi.

“We are very much looking forward to the 2026 Taklimakan Rally,” said Chinese Automobile and Motorcycle Federation vice president He Jiandong. “The Taklimakan Rally has written a legendary chapter in the development of Chinese off-road sports, forging a ‘blazing journey for the brave’ with its prestige and challenging nature. The Taklimakan Rally plays a vital role in promoting Chinese motorsport and the development of cultural tourism in Xinjiang.

“In the future, CAMF will continue to play a leading role in the industry, continuously improve the quality of the event, expand its value, and allow the Taklimakan Rally to shine even brighter in the new era, making new and greater contributions to promoting the high-quality development of Chinese motorsports and the progress of regional economic and social development.”

While called an “ultramarathon”, it operates the same as the marathon stages seen in rallies like those in the W2RC. Marathon conditions mean competitors are not allowed to get help from their teams and must work on their vehicles themselves when in the bivouac.

EVs, as well as alternative power sources in general, have been allowed in various rallies in recent years as they become more prominent. The Dakar Rally’s Mission 1000 is the most notable example.

2026 will also be the first Taklimakan to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors since the former’s invasion of Ukraine.

Martin Michek and Liu Yangui are the defending winners.

Featured image credit: Taklimakan Rally