Nissan Aryia Drives From Pole To Pole

The Ariya isn’t Nissan’s first electric vehicle, but the sleek SUV showcases the automaker’s vision of electrification for the future. As part of the Ariya’s rollout, Nissan partnered with a husband and wife team of adventurers to send the vehicle from the north to the south pole in a journey that lasted almost a year and covered 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles).

Chris and Julie Ramsey’s trek started on the Arctic Sea at the site of the 1823 Magnetic North Pole and stretched through North, Central, and South America before crossing the ocean to Antarctica. Reaching the South Pole made the Ariya the first vehicle of any type to make such a drive, and the fact that it was done with an electric vehicle makes it an even more impressive achievement.

The Ariya’s powertrain and battery remained stock, giving it 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, which reaches all four wheels through Nissan’s clever e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system. That said, it received suspension modifications and a lift kit to make room for massive 39-inch BF Goodrich tires.

As you might imagine, a journey of this magnitude takes planning. In this case, Chris and Julie’s planning started in 2017, right after covering the 10,000-kilometer (around 6,214 miles) Mongol Rally in a Nissan Leaf. That achievement, the first time an EV ran the event, opened the couple’s eyes to the interest such feats can generate. They also realized the opportunity to improve EV charging infrastructure in the communities they visited along the way.

“I can’t believe we’re at the South Pole. After so many years of planning, it doesn’t feel real. I’ve always had full confidence in the amazing capabilities of electric vehicles, and I knew our Nissan Ariya would tackle everything thrown at it. But it’s been far tougher than I anticipated. I’m proud that Pole to Pole has reached millions of people in parts of the world and enthused them about embracing EV in their day to day lives.”

The Ariya comes well-equipped for the day-to-day driving grind. It features a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with configurable displays, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation, a head-up display, voice recognition, and much more. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, and Nissan’s infotainment interface is smooth and responsive, with crisp graphics and excellent visibility from anywhere in the cabin.

Nissan builds in plenty of peace of mind with a generous list of advanced driver aids that includes blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, driver attention monitoring, parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alerts, lane keep assist, and more. The SUV also earned a Top Safety Pick + from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, its highest award.

When you’re ready to learn more about the new Nissan Ariya, including all the details on its electric powertrain and innovative e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system, Nissan of Rochester has you covered from start to finish. While we can’t take you to the North or South Poles, we can show you around the SUV and help you order or test drive the Ariya of your dreams.