The married couple, who left Copenhagen on June 25th 2010 to start the first ever worldwide electric car road trip has been invited by NAIAS organizers to exhibit their converted Nissan Qashquai family car during the world's largest motor show.
A key ambition of Hjalte and Nina is to show the world that electric vehicles are a viable choice, so the pair was keen to take along the latest in vehicular communications technology, the EXPLORER 325, which uses Inmarsat's BGAN service and was donated by Danish satcoms specialist, Thrane & Thrane.
Although they arrived in Detroit with barely a whisper from the electric motors that have carried them across Russia, through China and from San Francisco on their 36,000km circumnavigation, the team is hoping to make a noise during NAIAS, in a bid to convey the message that there is a viable, more environmentally friendly alternative to the internal combustion engine.
Hjalte explains: "Electric vehicles work. They can provide speed, range and convenience, yet they cause considerably less damage to our planet. The message is simple but communicating it is a challenge.
"We've been lucky in that we have been able to build a following from the road, as we are equipped with satellite technology that allows us to reach the world via the Internet, even when we are moving at speed and out of cellular range."
The expedition has already visited a number of remote regions and the EXPLORER 325 system has been invaluable for blogging and updating the expedition website in addition to providing reliable safety and security communications.
"We are delighted to be able to contribute our technology if it helps Hjalte and Nina to tell the world their story. NAIAS is a hotbed of new tech, innovation and creativity, so it is the perfect platform for the Charge to Change team to show the world exactly what can be done with electric vehicles, and indeed for us to demonstrate the world of mobile satcoms to a whole new audience," adds Walther Thygesen, CEO, Thrane & Thrane.