With Nissan Ariya: couple travel 27.000 kilometers to promote e-mobility

In order to show what an electric car is capable of these days, the Brits Chris and Julie Ramsey are taking on a nine-month journey in cooperation with Nissan: last Thursday they set off on the “Pole to Pole” expedition with a fully electric Nissan Ariya. As the name suggests, the couple wants to travel through North, Central and South America to Antarctica. On their journey, the Ramseys expect temperatures from minus 30 to plus 30 degrees.

“After four years of planning and hard work, we are extremely pleased to officially launch the expedition,” said Chris Ramsey in a Nissan press release. “We had to think in new ways, innovate and work with like-minded partners to make this expedition a reality.”

Expedition vehicle only slightly modified

In order to achieve the most realistic results possible, the expedition vehicle was only slightly modified. In addition to a special lift kit and flared wheel arches for extra large 39-inch tires, the Ariya, which celebrated its world premiere in July 2020, should enable driving through rough terrain. A tailor-made, robust outer cladding is designed to withstand the sometimes extreme weather conditions. The battery and drive train of the crossover SUV, on the other hand, have not been changed and correspond to the production vehicle.

A special system, which the Ramseys carry on a trailer, is intended to generate electricity for the drive battery of the electric car in remote polar regions. Depending on the circumstances, the electricity production should be carried out by an extendable wind turbine or foldable solar cells. Also on board: an integrated espresso machine, a weather station and a drone to document the trip.

They cover a distance of more than 27,000 kilometers to demonstrate the performance of electric cars. The couple is also concerned with increasing the acceptance of electric vehicles and accelerating their spread. It also supports the goal of the Japanese car manufacturer “Nissan Ambition 2030” to switch completely to climate-neutral products by 2050. As a first step, every new Nissan model in key markets is to be electrified by the early 2030s.

Nissan Ariya: The brand’s third electric car costs around 47,500 euros

The Ariya is Nissan’s third electric car and is intended to bring the brand further to electromobility. The mid-range SUV, which is almost 4.60 meters long and 1.85 meters wide, is characterized by narrow LED headlights and 20 LEDs in the middle of the front, which form the brand logo. In the cockpit, the Ariya is economical in terms of control buttons and has two 12.3-inch displays for the instrument display and various controls.

The electric car is currently available in three versions. There is a choice of two batteries with a capacity of 63 kWh or 87 kWh. The maximum range should be 403 kilometers or 533 kilometers. At a quick charging station, the crossover SUV should be able to charge electricity for a range of up to 300 kilometers in around 35 minutes. The engine power is given as 218 hp to 306 hp. Depending on the version, the Ariya has one engine and front-wheel drive or two engines and all-wheel drive. Base price: at least 47,490 euros.

Chris and Julie Ramsey completed the 17,000-kilometer “Mongol Rally” in their own Nissan Leaf in 2017. It took the couple 56 days to do this. On one, you can follow your route progress almost live. By Monday afternoon, they found the Ramseys south of the Canadian settlement of Umingmaktuk.

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