Nissan is aiming to be poles apart

General Guides  Partnership 

There are lots of ways to prove electric cars are just as good as those old-fashioned petrol and diesel cars. Nissan isn't messing about with any of those though. If you're going to prove a point, prove it properly – by driving an all-electric Nissan Ariya from Pole to Pole.

Nissan has partnered with Scottish adventurer, Chris Ramsey, to undertake the world's-first all-electric driving adventure from the magnetic North Pole to the South Pole.

Due to depart in March 2023, the Pole-to-Pole expedition will see Ramsey and team in a Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE travel over 17,000 miles across several regions and continents. The route will negotiate some of the world's most extreme, brutal, and beautiful scenery. From snow-covered glacial landscapes to treacherous mountain climbs and vast desert dunes, the journey will take followers on a breath-taking ride.

With predicted temperatures ranging from -30⁰C to 30⁰C, the journey from the Arctic through North, Central and South America, before crossing to Antarctica will test man and machine to the limit. In preparation for the hazardous conditions, the expedition's Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE will be modified with a custom rugged exterior fit for the trek across extreme terrain with upgraded wheels, tyres, and suspension.

A second, unmodified Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE will also act as a support vehicle throughout the Americas.





e-4ORCE is Nissan's advanced all-wheel drive system that accurately manages power output and braking performance for smoothness and stability. The system enhances driver confidence by tracing the intended driving line over a variety of road surfaces, including wet and snowy roads, without the need for changes in driving style or input. That means even the unmodified version can keep going when the going gets a bit rough.

This isn't the first all-electric expedition for Chris Ramsey.

Back in 2015, Chris tackled the 1,625-mile journey from John O'Groats to Land's End and back again in a Nissan Leaf, completing the journey in two days using only publicly available and free EV charging points. In 2017, he and wife, Julie, became the first team to complete the Mongol Rally in an all-electric vehicle. covering around 10,000 over 56 days, again in his own Nissan Leaf.

Of course, there's a big difference between negotiating the M6 at rush hour in your lease car and driving to the South Pole.

Chris Ramsey, founder of Pole to Pole, commented: “Our mission is to show that electric vehicles can tackle the harshest of environments – from the bitter cold of the poles to the hot and humid jungles of South America, and illustrate that they are exhilarating to drive whilst meeting the daily demands of drivers around the world.”

Obviously a lot can happen along the way, but if this expedition achieves its aims there'll be no reason for anyone to complain about range anxiety ever again.

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