Nissan Ariya EV successfully conquers North-South Pole drive

Nissan has successfully completed the mother of all road trips.

Husband and wife adventurers Chris and Julie Ramsey have concluded their 10-month, 30,000 km adventure from North to South Pole in the all-electric Nissan Ariya. It's the first successful pole-to-pole expedition done by a vehicle, and more importantly, the first for an EV.

After starting at the frozen Arctic Sea at the 1823 Magnetic North Pole, the expedition went through the varied terrains and mixed conditions in North, Central, and South America before reaching the most remote continent on Earth, Antarctica.

Since there were no EV charging stations in the polar regions, an innovative portable unit was built for recharging the Ariya. The prototype was equipped with a wind turbine and solar panels to harness renewable energy from strong winds and long hours of daylight.

What's even more impressive is that the Nissan Ariya used for the expedition did not feature any changes to its e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive powertrain, and even the battery. The only modifications done by Arctic Trucks were on the suspension and bodywork side to accommodate the 39-inch BF Goodrich, tires for better off-road capability.

“I can’t believe we’re at the South Pole. After so many years of planning, it doesn’t feel real. I’ve always had full confidence in the amazing capabilities of electric vehicles, and I knew our Nissan Ariya would tackle everything thrown at it. But it’s been far tougher than I anticipated. I’m proud that Pole to Pole has reached millions of people in parts of the world and enthused them about embracing EV in their day-to-day lives,” said Chris Ramsey.