Couple Drives Nissan Ariya From Pole to Pole in the Ultimate EV Overland Test
Can an EV travel to areas where no charging stations exist? One couple, Julie and Chris Ramsey are taking on the challenge of driving an electric SUV from the Magnetic North Pole to the South Pole. The journey covers nearly 17,000 miles across 14 countries. The vehicle chosen for this adventure is a slightly modified Nissan Ariya electric SUV.
How much has the Nissan Ariya been modified for this adventure?
The team at Arctic Trucks handled the modifications to the Ramsey’s Ariya for this special journey. Updates to this electric SUV include a set of 39-inch tires, an updated suspension, a drone, an espresso maker, and a towable charging unit. This charging unit will power the Nissan EV where public chargers are absent from the landscape.
Is the powertrain of this electric Nissan SUV modified?
The powertrain is not updated or altered from its stock build. This means the couple has a 389 horsepower AWD system and a driving range of 265 miles per charge. Maintaining the stock powertrain is part of Chris Ramsey’s stated goals.
“One of the things that underpins all the adventures we do is that we take a standard production EV and aim to make minimal changes to clearly demonstrate its real, everyday capabilities, regardless of where you are driving it.” – Chris Ramsey
Why is there a special espresso maker in this electric Nissan SUV?
Chris loves coffee. It’s that simple, Chris Ramsey loves coffee and asked for an espresso machine to be included in this Nissan Ariya. This could be one of the few creature comforts the couple enjoys along this arduous journey in their modified Nissan EV.
What is the towable charging unit for this special Nissan Ariya?
The towable charging unit for this adventure is made of a wind turbine and solar panels. Two of the windiest places on the planet are the North and South Pole areas. These extreme regions offer enough wind and sunshine to make this towable charging unit a smart choice for this expedition.
What are the start and finish points for this electric Nissan SUV’s adventure?
The trip from one pole to the other begins at the magnetic North Pole off Ellesmere Island in Canada. The couple will use many public roads across several countries. The couple will charge their Nissan at public stations wherever available. The ending point for this expedition occurs at the South Pole in Antarctica after crossing at the top of South America.
Is this the first overland EV adventure for the Ramseys?
This couple previously completed the 10,000-mile Mongol Rally across Asia in a Nissan Leaf. Their previous success has led to Nissan partnering with them again for this incredible pole-to-pole mission in a Nissan Ariya. Electrek tells us this new adventure is expected to begin in March, and Nissan set up a dedicated website to follow the progress. Will the Ramseys succeed in their drive from the North Pole to the South Pole in an electric Nissan SUV?
Next, check out a 2022 Nissan Ariya at an expo in Dubai, or learn more about the 2023 Nissan Ariya in this video below:
