A Nissan Ariya with Scottish adventurer Chris Ramsey behind the wheel will embark on a 27,000 km trip with the goal of becoming the first vehicle to be driven from the North to the South Pole.
The “Pole to Pole” adventure will start in
March 2023. The team will start from the North Pole, and continue in North,
Central, and South America, before crossing to Antarctica and eventually
reaching the South Pole. Throughout this long journey that will include
snow-covered glacial landscapes, mountain climbs, and vast desert dunes,
temperatures will range between -30⁰C and 30⁰C.
The Nissan Ariya that will be used in the
expedition has been previewed in a set of sketches showing its visual modifications.
Changes over the road-going version will include larger wheels with all-terrain
tires, a new suspension setup, a rugged body kit with skid plates, plastic
cladding on the wheel arches, and a roof-mounted structure with extra LEDs.
Nissan didn’t mention any upgrades on the
electric powertrain so we guess that the vehicle will be fitted with the larger
90 kWh battery and the dual-motor setup producing a combined 389 hp and 600 Nm. Nissan’s e-4ORCE electric all-wheel-drive system
will come in handy in difficult terrains, although driving an EV over such a
long distance will definitely require many stops for charging. Besides the
specially-prepared SUV, there will be a second and completely stock Ariya
e-4ORCE joining the team as a support vehicle throughout North, Central, and
South America.
Chris Ramsey has been adventuring in EVs
for over a decade. In 2015 he completed a 1,625-mile journey from John O’Groats
to Land’s End and back in a Nissan Leaf, while in 2017 he and his wife drove
16,000 km in their own Nissan Leaf, becoming the first team to
complete the Mongol Rally in an EV.
