Nissan is planning to donate 65 electric quick charging points at ‘strategic’ locations in the UK as part of European-wide scheme to give greater flexibility for drivers of electric vehicles.
These new points will boost existing networks and give EV customers greater freedom and by extending the range of their car. The quick chargers will give an 80% charge in 30 minutes.
The locations of the charging points has yet to be agreed but the idea is to locate them at selected service stations along the motorway network and create a ‘pathway’ on major routes across the UK.
Nissan says it been in contact with the three largest motorway service station chains who have a total of 100 stations across the country in a bid to create the new network of electric charging points.
In addition, quick chargers would be located in some city centres and other key locations such as airports.
Nissan currently has a network of 32 EV dealers, 26 of which already have a quick charger installed. The remaining six dealers will be the first in the UK to install these new smaller units and the total number of dealers with quick chargers is expected to be 150 by the end of 2012.
By recharging batteries in a fraction of the time, Nissan hopes it will help drive more customers towards electric vehicles including its Leaf hatchback. The advanced lithium-ion batteries in Nissan Leaf can be recharged from 0 to 80% capacity in 30 minutes using a quick charger.
The Leaf has a range of 110 miles if driven carefully but the new networks of charging points will allow EV drivers to travel longer distances in a day.
Jim Wright, of Nissan, said: “While we are confident that the Leaf’s range will satisfy most customers’ needs, we understand that some will need to make occasional longer journeys. Our vision is to create a ‘pathway charging network’ which would remove so called range anxiety and open up pure EV ownership to a whole new spectrum of drivers.”
The move follows an agreement between Nissan and five of Europe’s leading utility and EV infrastructure supply companies to speed up the provision of the latest quick chargers. The target is to have a network of quick charge stations across Europe with several thousand units in place by the end of 2012 and tens of thousands by 2015.
