Husband and wife adventurers and EV advocates Chris and Julie Ramsey of Plug In Adventures travelled over 20,000 miles across 14 countries from the magnetic North Pole to the South Pole, all in an EV! We sat with them to find out more about the expedition and their other adventures!
Let's get plugged in...
We’re Chris and Julie Ramsey, a husband-and-wife team from Aberdeen, Scotland, who are passionate EV owners. We’ve spent over a decade pushing the boundaries to show just how fun, capable, and exciting electric vehicles can be. Our first EV was a 24kWh Nissan Leaf back in 2014, with a range of just 65–70 miles per charge—pretty limited by today’s standards!
Chris, a lifelong car enthusiast, was immediately drawn to EV technology. His first adventure? Driving the Leaf across the UK capitals—Aberdeen to Edinburgh, then London, Cardiff, and back. With hardly any public charging stations at the time, everyone thought he was out of his mind. But Chris and his friends loved the thrill and challenge, and that sparked more EV adventures—each one bigger than the last, taking us across Europe and beyond.
Our most notable journeys include the 2017 Mongol Rally—a 10,000-mile trek from London to Siberia, marking the first time anyone completed it in an EV. And, of course, our biggest challenge yet: the 2023 Pole to Pole expedition. We set out from the Magnetic North Pole in the Canadian Arctic, crossing 14 countries and three continents, and covering over 21,000 miles to reach the Geographic South Pole in Antarctica. People thought we were crazy again, but we’ve learned that the “impossible” is only so until you try.
The idea for Pole to Pole came from a world map on our wall. Originally, we thought of driving from Alaska’s northern tip to Argentina’s southernmost point along the Pan American Highway. But then, Chris looked beyond the map edges and wondered, “What if we drove to the poles?” No one had ever done it in an EV before, so we decided to make it our next adventure—and here we are, making history!
We’ve been driving electric for over a decade now!
Our EV journey started when we swapped one of our two petrol cars for an EV. We quickly found ourselves competing for the EV, and that’s when we knew we had to make the switch for good. We eventually replaced both vehicles with EVs and haven’t looked back since. If you’re a two-car household, we’d definitely recommend trying a similar approach: swap one car first, see how it fits your lifestyle, and take it from there!
Driving electric opened our eyes to sustainability. We loved the silent, smooth drive and knowing our car wasn’t emitting tailpipe emissions. That curiosity led us to explore other eco-friendly choices, like installing solar panels and battery storage at home. Now we’re able to charge our car with clean, solar energy when the sun is shining, and on cloudy days, we take advantage of cheaper overnight tariffs—saving thousands along the way. Not needing to stop at petrol stations anymore? That’s just a bonus! Making the EV switch has been one of the best decisions we’ve made, and we love sharing that excitement with others considering it, too.
Our first EV was the 24kWh Nissan Leaf. We purchased our car a decade ago and we still own and drive that car today. The car is on its first battery pack and still going strong. Day to day we do not travel that many miles. which makes using our Nissan Leaf as our daily run around perfect for going into town, the gym, the shops etc.
For longer journeys up and down the UK and beyond, we have a longer range electric vehicle, the Model S followed by the Nissan Ariya which has an 87kWh battery and that means we can get approximately 260 - 280 miles of range in that car.
Before our Pole to Pole expedition, our longest journey was the 2017 Mongol Rally—a gruelling 10,000-mile adventure from London to Southern Siberia, north of Mongolia, in a 30kWh Nissan Leaf with an 80–90 mile range per charge.
The Mongol Rally is one of the world’s greatest motoring adventures. There’s no backup, no set route, and no guarantee you’ll reach the finish line. It’s just you, your car, and in our case, our EV, trekking across mountains, deserts, and forests through Europe, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The rally’s spirit is all about breaking down, finding solutions, and connecting with locals, creating memories and friendships along the way.
Driving an EV added a unique twist. With no charging stations, we depended on the kindness of strangers every 80–90 miles. From charging in a Kazakh police station while making noodles on the chief’s desk to overnight stays in a Russian fire station, each encounter taught us about resilience, community, and the true potential of EVs. Being the first to complete the Mongol Rally in an EV inspired us to aim higher and led to the idea of the Pole to Pole expedition, where we hoped to prove that EVs can conquer even the toughest terrain.
For us, the Pole to Pole Expedition was always going to be electric. All our adventures have been in EVs, and we even created Plug In Adventure to showcase them! As passionate EV owners and advocates, we’re dedicated to sharing the benefits of electric driving to help accelerate the transition to EVs.
We understand people have concerns; we had the same ones when we first switched over a decade ago. That’s why we love using our journeys to show how reliable, capable, and enjoyable EVs are—and to demonstrate the growing ease of charging on long trips. We hope our adventures inspire others to take that leap and make the switch, just as it worked for us.
Leaving a legacy is also important to us. Charging infrastructure is often seen as a barrier, so we collaborate with charging partners to install permanent EV charging stations along our routes. For example, thanks to our Pole to Pole project, there’s now a border-to-border charging network in Peru, enabling future EV drivers to travel through the country with confidence. We’ve also helped install stations throughout South America, which we’re incredibly proud of.
Through knowledge-sharing and raising awareness, we hope our story will inspire others to explore the world in an EV and feel empowered to make the switch.
For our Nissan Ariya, we partnered with Arctic Trucks Polar in Iceland, marking their first-ever EV modification—a true pioneering effort for us both. Despite the extreme terrain, we left the 87kWh battery, drivetrain, and electrical system untouched, proving the capability of a near-standard EV.
Our three main modifications included:
39” BFGoodrich tires with a slight suspension lift. In the polar regions, we ran on just 4–10 psi for maximum traction and weight distribution over snow and thinner ice.
An underside protection plate to guard against sharp rocks and ice.
Recovery hitch receivers at the front and back, allowing us to lift the car at any angle for maintenance or pull it free from deep snow.
For comfort, we added a coffee machine in the boot (because Chris loves his coffee) and a Thule rooftop tent for better rest. We also used an Iridium satellite receiver to stay connected in remote areas. These adjustments reduced our range from 300 miles to about 150, but they were enough to handle the toughest conditions and reach the South Pole.
As for other modifications, we felt that any further changes would have meant altering the battery or drivetrain, which wasn’t our aim. We wanted to show that a factory-standard EV with a few key tweaks could conquer even the harshest environments, proving to people that their showroom EVs are capable of more than just the daily commute.
The journey was filled with challenges, both for the car and for us. Living out of the car for 10 months and constantly moving from town to town to keep charging, we faced intense temperatures from -39°C to +49°C, which pushed us physically and mentally. With little chance to slow down, the relentless pace and tight deadlines left us running on sheer determination.
The Arctic, where we started, was probably the toughest. Picture us on the frozen ocean in -38°C, navigating across sea ice, boulder fields, and vast wilderness with only GPS for guidance. There were no roads, and the punishing conditions tested our resilience and the car’s capabilities daily.
Adding to the pressure, we learned that an ice road needed to leave the Arctic was melting much faster than expected due to climate change. This unexpected twist forced us to shorten our timeline, pushing us harder to make it through before the ice road disappeared completely. We were exhausted, but with each charge stop, we pressed on, knowing this would be the most demanding experience of our lives.
Ironically, one of the most magical moments happened during our toughest stretch in the Arctic. Just after we’d left the Magnetic North Pole, exhausted and sleep-deprived, we were pushing forward on our tight schedule when someone suddenly shouted, “Polar bear!” We hadn’t expected to see one, but there it was—a beautiful, majestic bear, wandering peacefully across the tundra. All our stress and tiredness vanished as we watched in awe, fully aware of the privilege of seeing this amazing animal in its natural habitat. It lifted our spirits and gave us the energy we needed to keep going. I’ll always remember that moment with such joy.
Seeing the polar bear was incredible, but for me, the best part was sharing this journey with Julie. Ten months together in a car without a break had its challenges, of course. But sharing the highs and lows, experiencing new countries, cultures, and foods side-by-side made it all special. These EV adventures really push us to grow as individuals, and each journey strengthens our relationship even more.
Absolutely! Since returning from Antarctica, we’ve been on the road a lot in our EV. We've travelled up and down the UK for talks about our expedition, and our most extensive journey was from Aberdeen to Munich for the EURO 2024 Football Championships. It was an eye-opening experience because the last time we drove to Germany during the Mongol Rally in 2017, charging infrastructure was quite limited. Now, it’s vastly improved, with numerous charging hubs along the motorways in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. With our car’s 280-mile range, the drive to Munich and back was a breeze. We covered around 2,500 miles in just four days, including two nights in Munich to catch the games. It really showcases how quickly charging infrastructure is growing to support the rise of EVs worldwide.
As for what’s next, we’re focusing on supporting businesses in their CSR, ESG, and sustainability programs by delivering talks about our adventures and journey toward sustainability. We’re also working on our Pole to Pole EV book, which will provide a deeper insight into how the expedition came to life and all the experiences we had along the way. Stay tuned for that!
If we had to pick just one reason, it would be the substantial cost savings associated with owning an EV. Since we made the switch in 2014, our savings on fuel and servicing have amounted to thousands of pounds. For instance, charging at home can cost as little as £7.50 for 250 miles! This financial benefit is crucial, especially as every household looks to cut costs.
With EVs now offering ranges from 150 to 430 miles and various options available to suit all budgets, there’s never been a better time to consider going electric. The charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly, making it easier than ever to own an EV. If you’re still on the fence, we encourage you to do your research, test drive an electric vehicle, and see how it could be the best decision you make, just as it was for us a decade ago. We’ve never looked back!
If you want to see more of Chris and Julie to hear all about their Arctic adventures, watch them bust EV myths and experience Electroverse with them make sure you check out our YouTube where we join forces with them for more content!
Feeling enlightened or do you think something was missing? Let us know by sharing your feedback.
Interested in learning more? Head over to our Electroverse Community area for more electrifying content.
