Ariya and adventurer aim to go Pole to Pole

British adventurer Chris Ramsey is aiming to become the first person to drive from the magnetic North Pole to the South Pole and will be undertaking the journey in an all-electric vehicle. Departing in March 2023, Ramsey will travel over 17,000 miles spanning 14 countries from the Arctic through to North, Central and South America, before finally crossing to Antarctica. The expedition aims raise awareness of the climate crisis and the critical role electric vehicles can play in reducing our carbon footprint.

Ramsey and his team have been preparing for the expedition for over four years, and today marks a significant moment as they welcome Nissan as the official vehicle partner of the unprecedented Pole to Pole expedition.

The partnership with the Japanese automaker will see the team explore the world’s most extreme yet beautiful terrains in a Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE. With predicted temperatures ranging from -30⁰C to 30⁰C, the venture will demonstrate the versatility of electric cars.

In preparation 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. The company will also provide logistical support and expertise to help plan a safe and accessible route through the most remote and hostile environments on Earth.

British adventurer Chris Ramsey in driver's seat of Nissan Ariya

Ramsey and his team have been preparing for the expedition for over four years

While much of the attention will rightly be on the polar regions, the team will face numerous challenges crossing Arctic sea ice and traversing the Americas. The myriad of harsh environments is sure to prove tough, from torrential rain, mud and soaring temperatures at the equator to 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 melting to habitat loss and the environmental threats posed by the climate crisis.

The focus of the expedition is to raise international awareness of the climate crisis and electric vehicle capability, but Ramsey and the team will also get involved with local projects along the way, including visiting a school that teaches children about renewable energy, and venturing into the Ecuadorian Amazon to meet a local tribe who protected their ancestral home.

This isn’t the first electric expedition for Ramsey, who has been adventuring in electric vehicles for over a decade. In 2017 he, and wife Julie, became the first team to complete the Mongol Rally in an all-electric vehicle. The pair travelled over 10,000 miles through 20 countries in 56 days, driving from the UK to Siberia behind the wheel of his Nissan LEAF.