Nissan Ariya EV becomes first car to drive from North to South Pole

After setting off from the Magnetic North Pole some ten months ago, husband and wife team Chris and Julie Ramsey have finally reached the South Pole behind the wheel of their fully electric Nissan Ariya.

The near 30,000km adventure saw the couple traverse the frozen waters of the Arctic Sea and the challenging terrain of North and South America before venturing into the snowy expanse of Antarctica.

Upon reaching the final destination, the Ariya became the first car and EV to drive from the top to the bottom of the world.

It’s a trip the Ramseys had been dreaming of since 2017 after they completed the 10,000km+ Mongol Rally in their Nissan Leaf. It was also then that they also realised how much interest a pole-to-pole adventure could generate for electric cars.

“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,” said Chris.

His wife Julie added: “This has been an incredible journey, with the people we’ve met, the friends we’ve made, and the support we’ve received.”

To complete the pole-to-pole expedition, the Ariya was modified by Arctic Trucks, who fitted a set of 39-inch BF Goodrich tyres and altered the bodywork to suit.

Otherwise, the all-wheel drive powertrain and battery were left as they came from the factory, which goes to show you don’t necessarily need fossil fuels to reach some of our planet’s furthest expanses.