Dare to defy
World record holder Richard Whitehead and his modified Nissan Ariya push the boundaries of accessible mobility
Paralympic gold medalist and Nissan ambassador Richard Whitehead MBE broke new ground – once again – at the 2024 Chicago Marathon in October.
He set a Guinness World Record marathon time for a double leg amputee, finishing in just 2h 41m 36s. Surpassing his own record set in London earlier this year, Richard's achievement is a testament to his relentless pursuit of improvement – a trait that now also extends to his car.
As a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Ambassador for Nissan and a key figure in our?Possibilities Project, Richard has worked closely with Nissan to champion inclusivity and innovation. When Richard and his team approached Nissan to explore modifications to his Nissan Ariya, it sparked a collaborative effort to push the boundaries of accessible mobility.
The Nissan team worked alongside partners ?ssur, provider of Richard's carbon-fiber running prosthetics and prosthetic walking legs, and Luzzo Bespoke, an automotive design and engineering firm, to develop a series of modifications tailored to Richard's unique training needs.
"Richard had a grueling training regime that involved running more than 90 miles per week,” said Leonie Tapley , Content, Partnerships & Events manager at Nissan Great Britain (NMGB). “We wanted to think about how his Ariya could support him on that journey both through time efficiencies and practical modifications to his car. What followed was a collaborative process between our UK teams and our partners."?
Luzzo Bespoke designed a boot module to store Richard's ?ssur prosthetics and other equipment including customizations such as a hidden swing-out seat to support with changing his prosthetics, a coffee machine and an inverter with plug sockets for recharging devices. At the front of the vehicle, quick-release magnetic chargers, developed with ?ssur, were integrated into the driver's seat to keep Richard's walking prosthetics powered on the go – streamlining his routine and enhancing his training efficiency.
"We worked closely with Richard to understand his needs for driving and using vehicles,” said Sarah Dorey , senior engineer at Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE). “What started as a conversation with ?ssur about whether you can charge prosthetics like you can charge your phone turned into a passion project for our team."?
Sarah and Leonie were instrumental in making these modifications a reality. Watch the video below to hear their combined experiences working on this inspirational initiative.
"Nissan is always looking to be inclusive in our vehicles, from the technology we integrate to the way we design and test them,” said Sarah. “We involve a range of individuals in our testing process to better understand the broad spectrum of our customers' needs. For instance, we have as many people as we can testing car doors and handles, and the boot space of every vehicle is tested to make sure essentials like buggies and wheelchairs will easily fit inside."?
This collaboration reflects the values at the heart of Nissan's Possibilities Project, an initiative launched by NMGB to create more opportunities for underrepresented communities. By embedding inclusivity into the way we design, develop and engineer our vehicles, we aim to truly empower mobility.
"The work we do around DEI is a key part of Nissan's DNA,"?said Leonie.?"While Richard's car is a one-of-its-kind concept, it indicates what is possible in the future. It shows that Nissan is a brand for everyone. As part of our Nissan Possibilities Project, we are committed to ongoing collaboration with people from underrepresented communities to make sure that our products really do support them."
NTCE graduate engineers Kirollos Mikhail and George Bowers also supported the project, working alongside the partners to bring the modifications to life.
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Reflecting on their involvement, George shared:?"It was amazing to work on this project so early in our careers. We learned a lot about diversity and inclusion and how not all disabilities are visible. As young engineers, this experience has inspired us to think about inclusivity in everything we do, and we will carry this mindset forward in all future work here at Nissan."
Dare to Defy
To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Richard's marathon achievements are featured in an all-new documentary series, titled?Dare to Defy. Launched on Prime Video in the UK, US and Canada on December 3, followed by other markets in the coming weeks*, the series presented by Richard and?fellow Nissan Ambassador and broadcaster Adele Roberts explores the barriers to inclusion in sport.
Meeting extraordinary people along the way, watch as they collaborate to put on Run to the Future, the most inclusive running event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where Richard won his first Paralympic gold medal in 2012.
Related article: Freedom to move
?Read more Nissan Stories from Europe and around the world.
*The Dare to Defy documentary will be available to stream in further markets on Prime Video in the coming weeks: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, EL Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Venezuela
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3 个月It's a powerful example of how inclusivity and innovation can break down barriers, and I applaud you for bringing these important conversations to the forefront. As someone who runs a child-first coaching organisation working in schools across the East Midlands, this really resonated. We’re on a mission to change the status quo, ensuring that every child—regardless of ability—has access to meaningful, inclusive physical education. But often, traditional PE equipment doesn’t meet the unique needs of SEND PE. Organisations like ours could truly make an impact, but we need the right resources and support to deliver. So often, we reach out to larger organisations about initiatives like these and never hear anything back, which makes it hard not to feel sceptical. That said, I genuinely applaud you for doing far more than most corporates ever do. Thank you for that. I just hope this leads to real support on the ground, where it’s most needed. I’d love to discuss how organisations like ours can collaborate to ensure this isn’t just a corporate headline but a movement that makes a real difference in children’s lives. I'll be surprised if we hear from you, with hope EcoCoach PE Solutions