Nissan Leaf AT EV Rally – Video

A modified Nissan Leaf will be the first electric vehicle to take on the arduous 10,000-mile Mongol Rally, driving from the UK to Mongolia this summer. Prepared by Plug In Adventures with the help of engineering company RML Group, the Leaf AT-EV (All-Terrain Electric Vehicle), as it’s called, will take on the remote deserts, mountains, and steppes of Europe and Asia in the charity race.

The Leaf AT-EV rides on Speedline SL2 Marmora wheels and Maxsport RB3 narrow tires. The team has affixed plates underneath the vehicle, and installed braided brake lines and a set of mud flaps. The roof rack sports a 16-light LED array. While the front of the passenger compartment remains unchanged except for the addition of rubber floor mats, the rear seats have been removed, eliminating about 71 pounds of weight and providing crucial cargo room. In the back, the team has included a fire extinguisher and first aid kit, which we hope they won’t need.

 

 

Luckily, the Mongol Rally isn’t a timed race, so pausing to charge won’t leave the team at a disadvantage. Still, Plug In Adventures founder Chris Ramsey says the Leaf is a good choice for the event. “I’m very familiar with the car, it’s always been reliable and dependable for me, and it has the largest network of rapid charging options in Europe,” he says. “As it will also accept a 240v Commando connection even in the remote areas when my fast-charge options are gone, I can still charge the battery and keep moving.”

Presumably this charging is done from a support vehicle with a generator. There could even be an onboard generator, perhaps where the backseat was. But the team omitted mention of where the charge is coming from.

Ramsey plans to take the opportunity to spread the good word about EVs along the journey. “I can’t wait to get out on the road and introduce more people to the advantages of electric vehicles, whatever country they’re from!”