Nissan Wants the Ariya to Be the First Car Driven From North Pole to South Pole

A render of a modified Nissan Ariya electric SUV in the snow.

This modified Nissan Ariya will drive from the North to the South Pole Image: Nissan

You’ve heard the rumor that EVs don’t work in the cold, right? Well, Nissan is out to prove that this is all a load of rubbish as it tries to make the Ariya electric crossover the first car to drive from the North Pole to the South Pole.

Nissan has partnered with British adventurer Chris Ramsey to undertake the 17,000-mile journey from the top of the planet to its very bottom. Along the way, Ramsey and his trusty Nissan will pass through varying terrains and temperatures as man and machine attempt to become the first team to drive between the Earth’s magnetic poles.

Along the route, Ramsey and his modified Ariya e-4ORCE will travel from the Arctic through North, Central and South America, before crossing to Antarctica. The journey will navigate everything from snow-capped glaciers and mountains to desert dunes and maybe even the treacherous roads of the USA.

But it isn’t just a run of the mill Ariya e-4ORCE that Ramsey will take on this daring adventure. Nissan will instead prepare a rugged, off-road-ready Ariya that’s specially built for the task of traversing the globe.

A render of the side profile of the Nissan Ariya EV parked in the snow.

Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads. Image: Nissan

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The upgraded EV will feature a “rugged exterior,” which looks to add flared wheel arches and extra cladding to the standard car. The SUV will also have upgraded wheels, tires and suspension.

So far, Nissan has just released a render of the modified EV, but it looks rad as hell. It’s got an aggressive stance that seems at odds with its planet-saving mission, but I dig it.

When the adventure finally sets off in March 2023, Nissan will also offer a second, unmodified Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE for the journey. This car will act as a support vehicle throughout the Americas.

A photo of adventurer Chris Ramsay with a Nissan EV in the background.

Chris Ramsay doesn’t leave home without his trust Nissan Ariya. Photo: Nissan

Ramsey said: “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.

Nissan seems to be on a bit of a roll when it comes to creating awesome-looking off-roaders at the moment. Just last week, it unveiled a modified Juke SUV that honored the iconic Safari Rally Z that ran at the 1971 and ’73 East African Safari Rally.