Nissan to install over 100 EV quick charge stations

PanARMENIAN.Net - The smattering of electric vehicle charging stations around the country is about to get a boost from Nissan. In an effort to build interest in its all-electric Leaf, the carmaker is installing more than 100 quick charge stations at Leaf-certified Nissan dealers in 21 markets nationwide, PCMag.com reports.

Using the CHAdeMO standard, the units can charge a depleted vehicle to about 80 percent in 30 minutes.

"Nissan is undertaking a proactive, multi-pronged approach to expand charging infrastructure to enhance awareness of electric cars like the Leaf and instill range confidence in potential customers," Brendan Jones, director of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, said in a statement. "We know that available charging infrastructure opens the doors for more Nissan Leaf sales."

This initiative follows a pilot program implemented at 24 dealerships in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and Seattle, which tested how often drivers needed to charge up and how adding the stations affected dealership operations.

For instance, the charger positioned at the intersection of downtown L.A.'s two busiest freeways was "a boon for business," according to the dealership's general manager, Richard Luengo.

"There is a steady stream of folks using the charger, and we've generated significant good will in the Leaf community," he said in a statement. "Over the past four months, our dealership has seen a marked improvement in sales, and some of that is clearly attributable to the new quick charger."

Since the pilot began, Nissan has counted 5,600 charging sessions, with each location averaging about 4.5 sessions per day, and rising. In fact, between June 21 and July 1, that number has increased about 12.5 percent.

By April 1, 2014 Nissan expects to have quick chargers installed and operational in 100 additional dealerships, with rollouts on the East Coast beginning this summer. Charging partner AeroVironment will handle supply and installation.

Nissan's expanded safety net of EV chargers comes about a month after Tesla announced plans to triple the size of its free Supercharger network, adding stations in California, Illinois, Colorado, and New York, as well as routes from Vancouver to Seattle to Portland, and Austin to Dallas. Tesla promised that in six months, Model S owners can drive from coast to coast without fear of an empty battery gauge.

Meanwhile, Nissan recently introduced a battery replacement program for U.S. Leaf customers, set to launch early next year. Modeled after Nissan's European battery leasing program, the system requires a $100 payment each month, and will work in tandem with the company's standard battery warranty.