Nissan Ariya EV will embark on a world-first expedition through the Americas
Fun fact: there are no penguins in the Arctic and there are no polar bears in Antarctica. Not yet, although if a bear could convince a chap called Chris Ramsey to give it a lift, this may change. You see, Ramsey is an extreme adventurer like Bear Grylls, except he drives and prefers drinking tea. Ramsey is planning the first drive from the magnetic North Pole to the magnetic South Pole via North, Central and South America. Why?
Why? Because it has never been done before. Because it involves driving the full range of extreme conditions – vast distances, freezing cold, snow and ice. Baking deserts and hot, damp jungles. Salt pans and some of the most rugged and dangerous mountains on earth. 27 000 kilometres of testing terrain – consider that the circumference of the earth is 40 075km. And Ramsey will do this in a Nissan Ariya electric vehicle. Why?
He is doing it in the Ariya to show the ‘yes but’ crowd that EVs are not little fragile rich persons’ runabouts that can take you to the mall and back before needing an overnight charge.
If anyone is qualified for this quest, it is Ramsey. He has undertaken various EV adventures over the last ten years. In 2017, for example, Ramsey and his wife Julie became the first team to complete the gruelling Mongol Rally in an all-electric vehicle. This gruelling rally is 13 000km long across 13 countries and over hectic terrain. They used their specially modified Nissan Leaf AT-EV (all-terrain electric vehicle), which they had to recharge 111 times at a cost of around R2000.
For the Pole to Pole adventure Ramsey is using a modified Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE. The Ariya is Nissan’s first all-electric SUV and e-4FORCE is Nissan’s most advanced all-wheel technology. It accurately manages power output and braking performance for smoothness and stability. This increases driver confidence by tracing the intended driving line over a variety of road surfaces, including wet and snowy roads, without having to change the driving style. The modifications include a more rugged exterior, upgraded wheels, tyres and suspension. Interestingly enough, Ramsey’s support vehicle will be a completely standard Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE.
This is a major commitment for both Ramsey and Nissan. Apart from the fun and wow factor of seeing someone attempting something so over-the-top, it also has a real-world goal of supporting Nissan Ambition 2030, the company’s long-term vision around electrification as a central focus. If Ramsey completes all or even most of this quest, it will firmly establish EVS as an exciting and very capable vehicle that can provide most of our mobility needs going forward.
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