Adventurer to take 27,000-km drive from North to South Pole in a modded Nissan Ariya

MANILA: British adventurer Chris Ramsey aims to become the first person to drive from the North Pole to the South Pole — and will be taking the journey in the all-electric Nissan Ariya.

As he departs in March 2023, Ramsey will travel over 17,000 miles (around 27,000 kilometers), a route that will span 14 countries from the Arctic through to North, Central, and South America, before finally crossing to Antarctica.

The Pole to Pole expedition, which Ramsey is the founder of, aims to raise awareness on the climate crisis and the critical role electric vehicles can play in reducing carbon footprint.

Ramsey and the Pole to Pole team have been preparing for the expedition for over four years, and today, they welcome Nissan as their official vehicle partner. 

With the all-new Nissan Ariya e-4orce, the expedition team will explore the world’s most extreme yet beautiful terrains, amid predicted temperatures ranging from -30⁰C to 30⁰C. The daring venture will show the capabilities of EVs.

To prepare for the brutal Arctic and Antarctic conditions, Ramsey’s expedition Nissan Ariya e-4orce will be modified and equipped by Arctic Trucks, a renowned specialist in polar vehicles.

Arctic Trucks will also provide logistical support, expertise, and plans on the safest and most accessible route through the most remote and hostile environments on Earth. 

While the trip's point A and point B are polar regions, the Pole to Pole team will face numerous challenges, from crossing the Arctic sea ice and traversing the Americas. Harsh environments are expected, such as torrential rain, mud, and soaring temperatures at the equator, and the windswept altitude of the Andes.

Ramsey and his expedition crew will encounter many cultures and communities along the globe-spanning drive, investigating solutions for sustainability issues, from polar ice melting to habitat loss and the environmental threats posed by the climate crisis.

Aside from raising international awareness of the climate crisis and electric vehicle capability, Ramsey and the team will also get involved with local projects along their journey. The Pole to Pole team will visit a school that teaches children about renewable energy, and travel into the Ecuadorian Amazon to meet a local tribe who protected their ancestral home.

Ramsey has been taking adventures in EVs for over a decade. In 2017 he and his wife Julie became the first team to complete the Mongol Rally in an all-electric vehicle. The pair logged over 10,000 (16,000km) miles through 20 countries in 56 days, driving from the UK to Siberia behind the wheel of his Nissan Leaf. 

Photos from Pole to Pole

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