Modified Nissan Ariya Gearing up for Unprecedented Adventure
If you’ve been reading about electric cars for a while, you’ve probably come across the term “range anxiety” – the uneasiness that an electric vehicle driver feels when their battery starts to run down.
Well, imagine the range anxiety that British adventurer Chris Ramsey will feel, when undertaking a journey from the magnetic north pole to the south pole – a distance of almost 17,000 miles. Ramsey and his wife Julie will be doing the drive in a modified Nissan Ariya e-4orce – a vehicle with an EPA estimated range of 304 miles.
Nissan says that the modified Ariya will be the first vehicle of any type to take on the journey between poles. Over the course of the drive, it will be traversing some pretty extreme conditions. While large sections will involve paved roads and, one presumes, charging stations, certain sections of the drive, particularly at the northern and southern tips, will require a great deal of ingenuity and creativity.
What Improvements Have Been Made to the Modified Nissan Ariya?
How Chris and Julie Ramsey intend to charge their Ariya expedition vehicle has yet to be announced, and the modified vehicle hasn’t been unveiled yet. However, Nissan says that the Ariya e-4orce is being modified with a custom rugged exterior. The suspension will be raised, and flared wheel arches will accommodate much larger, more aggressive tires with off-road capability. Body protection will also help shield the Ariya from some of the world’s most extreme conditions.
Of course, you’re probably asking, “why?” Nissan’s long-term vision, which it calls “Ambition 2030” has sustainability at its core – and the company feels that an extreme adventure will not only show off the advanced all-wheel drive system of the Ariya e-4orce, but will also demonstrate that electric vehicles can tackle the same challenges and obstacles that gasoline cars can.
“Nissan and the team of extreme pioneers at Pole to Pole are pushing the limits of electric mobility,” said Clíodhna Lyons, Nissan’s Region Vice President Product and Services Planning. “In undertaking and completing this ambitious expedition, we hope to reach and inspire action in others all around the world, demonstrating the prowess of electric vehicles and speeding up adoption as part of the solution to reducing global emissions.”
More Nissan Ariya Details to Come
The Ariya is one of our favorite new electric vehicles here at GreenCars. It is smooth, fast, and quiet, and it looks great, inside and out. Nissan’s ProPilot Assist 2.0 suite of driver aids is one of the most comprehensive in the industry, and its electric range and efficiency are among the best in its class. With a starting MSRP of just over $43,000 before incentives, we also think it is an excellent value.
Nissan and the Ramseys will unveil their outfitted, pole-to-pole Ariya later this month. Stay tuned for more details.
