How far can you go with an electric vehicle?
That’s the big question for people considering making the switch, and I can tell you that the 2024 Nissan Ariya can go from Britain, travel around Europe, and finish in Paris on a single charge, as I did on a recent road trip.
I went through Copenhagen, Vienna, Lisbon, and more, which would have been quite a feat had I been overseas. But these are all towns in Ontario, and it was a good opportunity to see “what’s watt” with this EV crossover over the course of our 301-kilometre “European Tour.”
Two Batteries, Four Trims
The five-passenger Ariya comes with two battery sizes: 66 kWh (63 kWh usable) and 91 kWh (87 kWh usable), the latter indicated in trims with a “+” in their name. It’s available in front-wheel drive (FWD), with one electric motor producing 238 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque; or in all-wheel drive (AWD), which Nissan calls e-4orce, pronounced “e-force.” That adds a second motor to the rear axle, and the two combined make 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque.
The smaller-battery trims are the Engage in FWD, with a range of 348 km and a starting price of $55,093, including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $2,095 but before any federal or provincial rebates; and the Evolve e-4orce, for 330 km and $62,093. The larger battery is available in the FWD Evolve+, with the highest range of 465 km and $65,093; the Evolve+ e-4orce with 438 km and $67,093; and the model I drove, the Evolve+ e-4force with Platinum Package, rated at 428 km and a starting price of $72,093.
Leg 1: Cambridge to Stratford
With the Ariya charged, I started in Cambridge, Ont. The drive was mostly on secondary highways – not just because electric vehicles (EVs) tend to do better at these 80-km speeds than zipping along at triple digits on the highway, but because most of these are smaller towns and only accessible by these roads.
The Ariya is Nissan’s second EV following the Leaf, which is considered the first modern mass-produced electric car. That one’s had a good run, introduced for the 2011 model year, but while there is a 2025 version, Nissan plans to phase it out in favour of the introduced-for-2023 Ariya. The Leaf has less range – its base version has 240 km, with the Leaf Plus at 341 km – but it’s also not as pricey, starting at $43,845 and $49,593, respectively. The Ariya is more impressive to drive and offers AWD that the Leaf doesn’t, but it’s substantially more money. On this leg, it took me through New Dundee, Hamburg, and Lisbon before ending up in Stratford.
Leg 2: Stratford to London
The route was 64 kilometres from Stratford, home to a famous Shakespearean festival, to London, one of Ontario’s larger cities. Although that 442 lb-ft of torque is substantial, the Ariya isn’t about flashy, flat-out off-the-line performance but smooth, composed, and pleasant driving. Its linear acceleration is comfortable when moving through city traffic, and the Ariya has no issues with highway passing. Its AWD system can distribute power to individual wheels, helping keep its footing on wet or slippery roads.
EVs use regenerative braking, capturing energy otherwise lost during deceleration and storing it as electricity. The Aria’s system can be adjusted for lower or higher resistance, and it can bring the vehicle to an “almost-stop,” but not completely. “One-pedal” driving is when an EV can be brought to a full stop because you only use the accelerator and don’t need the brake pedal. It would be a useful addition to the Ariya, but for now, I was out of the city and back on rural roads.
The Ariya includes ProPilot, Nissan’s name for its highway driving assist system, which uses adaptive cruise control and lane centring to maintain a set distance from the vehicle in front and stay on its path, although you still have to hold the steering wheel. The automaker offers a hands-free version in the U.S., but it requires mapped highways and that hasn’t been done in Canada yet; and there’s no word on when it might be available here.
Leg 3: London to Vienna
From London, the route went south to Sparta, founded in 1813 by a Quaker, and by the shore of Lake Erie through Copenhagen and then Vienna. One of Thomas Edison’s grandfathers was born in Vienna, and the inventor often visited the family farm as a child. There’s a museum here dedicated to him and includes a blueprint for an electric car. Edison experimented with them – Henry Ford was a close friend and apparently worked with him on a project – but never got beyond building prototypes.
I’d been in the Ariya for a while at this point, but all was good. Nissan calls its seats “zero-gravity,” and while you’re obviously not going to float away, they are very supportive and comfortable. As for taking your luggage on longer trips, the cargo compartment is 646 litres when the rear seats are up, and you can fold them down to get 1,691 litres of space.
Leg 4: Vienna to Paris
Ontario has an Eiffel Tower, but it’s a seven-foot version in someone’s driveway in Staffordville, about 70 km south of Paris. The route between them passes neatly-kept farms, many of which used to grow tobacco but now plant ginseng, which requires erecting long lengths of black cloth over the fields to provide the shade it requires.
I needed some too on this bright day, and was glad the Ariya had a sunshade for its panoramic sunroof. The entry Evolve trim includes a power driver’s seat, heated front and rear seats and steering wheel, and a power-sliding centre console, while the next-up Evolve adds the sunroof, plus a power liftgate, premium audio, around-view camera, and head-up display. At the Evolve Premium I was driving, you also get a self-parking feature, hands-free liftgate, power-adjustable steering wheel, cooled front seats, and digital rearview mirror.
Final Thoughts
The Ariya is pricier than the Leaf and it’ll be a shame to lose that less-expensive option, but its range is longer and the driving experience is impressive, and if an EV is going to fit your lifestyle, this one should be a consideration. And if you’re ever in Ontario, remember that you can take a trip across Europe without stopping to charge.
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