These confusingly-named trucks are the only trucks with a permit to drive to the South Pole
- Arctic Trucks creates the most dominating snow vehicles in Iceland
- It’s the only company with a permit to drive to the South Pole
- Since launching with Toyota Iceland, it’s now gone global
Published on May 31, 2025 at 11:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on May 29, 2025 at 4:35 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Daisy Edwards
These confusingly-named vehicles are known as Arctic Trucks, and they’re the only trucks with a permit to drive to the South Pole, AKA Antarctica, as opposed to the Arctic, which is, in fact, the North Pole.
This Iceland-based auto manufacturer creates cars perfect for your next Antarctic mission in the snow and shockingly freezing temperatures.
Arctic Trucks began in 1990 to help Toyota Iceland with official snow management accessories, but since then, the company has grown and developed into the only automaker with permits to drive in Antarctica.
These giant vehicles were inspired by the often dangerous and icy conditions of Icelandic winters, so it was only a matter of time before the company got the seal of approval from Governments.
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For the biggest adventurers and travelers out there, the cold, icy desert of Antarctica holds a wealth of new landscapes to explore, climates to experience, and animals to see.
This company was created to build trucks that could survive the icy tundra and strong winds, with solutions engineered to beat and dominate the coldest climates on Earth.
Arctic Trucks was first founded in the 1990s in Iceland, as the founder, Emil Grimsson, worked with Toyota Iceland to create some vehicle accessories to help deal with the brutal Icelandic winters.



The company soon grew into the Arctic Trucks we know today, with engineers specifically modifying and building on preexisting model types ,like Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, Nissan Navara, and VW Transporter.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about Arctic Trucks, though, is not that it creates the hardest and most snow-worthy vehicles you’ve ever seen, but it’s the only company that has approval to drive to the South Pole.
The company leads expeditions to the South Pole with permits from the UK Foreign Office. But the Arctic trucks don’t necessarily have to go to Antarctica, they can go wherever they’re needed to handle rough and icy terrain.
One thing is for sure: these Arctic Trucks are snow joke!


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Daisy Edwards is a Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Daisy has more than five years’ experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a History and Journalism degree from Goldsmiths, University of London and a dissertation in vintage electric vehicles. Daisy specializes in writing about cars, EVs, tech and luxury lifestyle. When she's not writing, she's at a country music concert or working on one of her many unfinished craft projects.