As it looks to make serious in-roads with its Nissan LEAF electric car (pictured), the Japanese carmaker has revealed an extensive plan to expand on the existing quick charging infrastructure across the USA.
Nissan hopes to triple the current infrastructure by adding at least 500 quick charging stations during the next 18months: including introducing the first fast charge network in the Washington, DC area.
The plans were revealed at the Washington Auto Show, with Nissan recounting how it had been working on accelerating the quick charging network in Europe since 2011. However, the USA has been left lagging behind with Nissan estimating that only around 160 fast chargers are currently available for the public across the country.
Now, Brendan Jones, who is the director of electric vehicle marketing and sales strategy for Nissan, outlined that a quick charging network could link neighbourhoods and communities while helping to build range confidence which in turn would boost the interest in electric cars.
Nissan’s plans will take a three step approach. It will focus on introducing quick chargers through its dealer network; as well as in local neighbourhoods; and workplace campus charging.
A major part of the infrastructure enhancement in Washington, DC, will be the new eVgo ecosystem which is to include 40eVgo Freedom station sites across the area. Each will include a Nissan fast charger that can provide 80 per cent charge in just 30minutes. Infrastructure partner NRG Energy has invested around $150million into electric vehicle charging infrastructure and will provide drivers with access to level two charging stations at homes, offices, as well as in schools, hospitals and other multi-family communities.
In addition, Nissan hopes to make charging more readily available in the workplace – it has collected best practices from corporations that already offer incentives to electric vehicle owners and will share these with others who are interested in expanding charging infrastructure at the workplace.
Paul is a freelance writer with a background in everything from motoring to finance; and holidays to women's undergarments he just writes about them, honestly! He has now sadly crept into his early 30s and seems to have forgotten everything learned at school Still, he's a green car fanatic and isn't that what counts?
No comments yet.