Couple starts pole-to-pole expedition in electric Nissan SUV

Surrounded by the vast ice-covered Arctic Ocean, EV adventurers Chris and Julie Ramsey have started their highly anticipated Pole to Pole expedition in an electric Nissan Ariya.

After a safety assessment, the team set out from the 1823 north Magnetic Pole. Their journey will see them drive south, covering more than 27,000km through North, Central and South America, aiming ultimately to reach the world’s most remote place, Antarctica’s South Pole, in December.

No vehicle has ever completed the journey between these extremes of the globe. Chris and Julie say they have embarked on the journey to showcase how capable and exciting electric vehicles are, with the hope to accelerate their adoption as a positive action against the climate crisis.

The expedition-ready Nissan Ariya has undergone modifications to help it cope with the extreme terrains that the team are set to face along their route. Most notably the suspension has been lifted and the wheel arches extended to accommodate huge 39-inch tyres that will help the car ‘float’ on deep snow and sea ice.

No modifications were made to the Ariya’s e-4ORCE battery and power train.

As the couple travels through the remote polar regions, they will tow a renewable energy unit, which includes an extendable wind turbine and foldable solar panels.

The prototype will take advantage of the expected high winds and long daylight hours, harnessing the natural energy to charge the Ariya’s battery while Chris and Julie are on a break from driving.

The team hopes the charging innovation can have a positive legacy by inspiring a transition to electric vehicles for future polar exploration.

“After four years of planning and hard work, we’re so excited to officially get Pole to Pole under way,” Chris said.

“Julie and I have done several EV adventures over the past 10 years but Pole to Pole is definitely our biggest and most exciting challenge. We’ve had to think differently, be innovative and collaborate with like-minded partners to make this expedition a reality.”

The Ramseys say their expedition Ariya is fun to drive and performed well over the 5,000km journey to get to the starting point. 

“We’re excited to share our adventure with you and shine a light on the amazing people, communities and projects along the way that is making a positive difference to the climate crisis,” concluded Julie.