It was Nissan’s first electric SUV and it burst onto the market, in 2020, with a very daring design and very modernist lines. It is one of those cars that the motor world qualifies as polarizing: either you like them or you hate them. Which Few could imagine that he would be chosen to travel the almost 30,000 kilometers that separate the North Pole from the South Pole.
The chosen one is none other than the Nissan Ariya: this electric car will cover the 27,358.84 kilometers that separate both Poles in an adventure that will begin next March: It will last ten months and they will pass through fourteen countries. An expedition that they have been preparing for the last four years and that has never been attempted before: they will put an SUV designed for asphalt to the test in extreme terrain, icy surfaces, deep snow, desert dunes and mountains.
The same motor and the same battery
The person in charge of fine-tuning the Nissan Ariya has been Arctic Trucks, a company specialized in vehicles for polar expeditions. They have collaborated with Nissan’s design and engineering teams to carry out minimal modifications. They only had to meet one premise: both the engine and the battery had to be production ones to demonstrate the car’s capabilities.
Thus, the Nissan Ariya that will travel from Polo to Polo will be the Performance version equipped with two engines that develop a power of 389 CV and have a torque of 600 Nm. A scheme that is associated with the e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system of the Japanese brand. The one in charge of providing the necessary energy will be an 87 kWh battery, which, according to the WLTP Cycle, promises 400 kilometers of autonomy.
Changes to the Nissan Ariya
What have changed have been the wheel arches: the protectors are new and they are also wider to accommodate some B.F. Goodrich tires, They ride on 39-inch dual-valve alloy wheels. Ground clearance has been increased by 11 centimeters and the suspension has also been tuned to work in conjunction with the e-4ORCE system: these modifications will allow the Nissan Ariya to tackle extreme terrain… where you won’t find many charging stations Not many chargers.
For this, the Nissan Ariya of Arctic Trucks you will need to tow a portable renewable energy unit: It is equipped with solar panels and a wind turbine that is as compact as it is light. This system will take advantage of strong winds and long hours of daylight to charge the vehicle’s battery. Optional equipment also includes a coffee machine and a drone that can be launched directly from the unit located on the roof.
the other protagonists
Chris and Julie Ramsey will be aboard the Nissan Ariya. It is not a new adventure for them: for the last ten years, they have been testing the limits of electric cars. They were the first people to complete the 17,000 kilometer Mongolian Rally in their own Nissan Leaf.
They have been the ones who have established the condition of retaining some of the standard features of the Nissan Ariyasuch as motor and battery. They always make the minimal changes to demonstrate the real, everyday capabilities of the vehicle that accompanies them, regardless of where you’re driving.
