Driving the Nissan Ariya in Minnesota

Yes, electric vehicles work well here in Minnesota for you (and three-to-four of your friends), a cargo hold full of luggage, a bounty of tailgate goodies, and anything else you can think of. 

We wondered whether you could do an electric road trip along U.S. Highway 52 up to The Cities, while passing up the gas stations along the way and topping off once at a DC Fast Charging station, just in case. Since this sounded like a job for the Nissan Ariya EV, we packed up a 2024 Ariya Platinum+ Dual Motor e-4ORCE to see how it drove. Our tester had the dual motor setup that included a power unit at each axle. It had all-wheel drive for maximum traction year-round. All told, it had 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque.  

On this model, there was an 87-kilowatt-hour battery that sent energy to both motors, with an estimated range of 267 miles. Since we were charging at a DC Fast Charging station, Nissan states that it would take 40 minutes to go from 10-80% state of charge. Energy flow from the fast charger will slow down after 85-90%, if you’re considering a full charge to 100%.  

We also utilized the e-Step system. It is Nissan’s one-pedal driving mode designed to send energy back to the battery pack through brake regeneration. When engaged, all you do is let off the accelerator pedal and the Ariya will come to a complete stop at intersections.  

With a smartphone full of tunes and our favorite stations programmed into the presets, we set off on our journey. It is a good time to talk about how quickly the Ariya’s infotainment system can sync with your smartphone wirelessly—both on Apple and Android devices. There is a wireless charger available for your device, as well. Not to mention, the ten-speaker Bose Premium Audio System was rocking, hip-hopping, and swinging throughout the cabin. Plus, listening to Paul Allen call another Vikings victory was just as sweet through the Ariya’s audio system.  

We set off in our comfortable Nappa leather seats, cruising around Rochester to do some errands before heading north on U.S. Highway 52. In the wintertime, you’ll appreciate the heated front and rear seats, as well as the ventilated front seats during the summer. The driver also gets a heated steering wheel.  

As we reached the Twin Cities, we had just over half the state of charge left in the battery. We knew we would just top it off at the new Electrify America DC Fast Charging station in Edina. We recouped energy at the 350-kilowatt station and got a full battery to get back home. We didn’t forget to stop for some coffee and maybe a few things at Target.  

If you are concerned about range anxiety, the Nissan Ariya will put you at ease. If you’re just going up to the Twin Cities, across Southern Minnesota, or into La Crosse, you can count on the Nissan Ariya to get you there. Just turn it on, sit back, and let it get you where you need to be comfortably. Don’t forget to take advantage of the NISSAN ENERGY Charge Network, which is available on your MyNissan app. You have access to more than 100,000 chargers across the United States through this network.  

If you would like to experience the 2024 or 2025 Ariya, contact us at Nissan of Rochester for a test drive soon. Discover why the Ariya is the right electric SUV for Minnesota, as we did.