Nissan launches programs to make Leaf charging free

Nissan announced the expansion of its successful “No Charge to Charge” promotion, which will provide two years of no-cost public charging with the purchase or lease of a new Nissan Leaf.

In total, Nissan will launch “No Charge to Charge” in 25 U.S. markets, which are currently responsible for more than 80 percent of Nissan Leaf sales.

The “No Charge to Charge” expansion will use the new EZ-ChargeSM card, a first-of-its-kind platform that will offer Nissan Leaf owners access to the leading EV charging networks with a single, all-access card. New owners will receive an EZ-Charge card that will provide access to chargers with ChargePoint, Blink Network from Car Charging Group, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo.

Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan sales and marketing, aftersales, said, “Public charging is an important way to provide added range confidence to EV buyers and persuade more shoppers to join the more than 110,000 Leaf drivers around the world.”

“No Charge to Charge” will launch using the EZ-Charge card on July 1, 2014, in 10 of the top markets for Nissan LEAF sales, including San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston and Washington, DC. The “No Charge to Charge” offer and EZ-Charge card will be provided retroactively to buyers in these markets who purchased their Leaf on or after April 1, 2014.

After the rollout in the first 10 markets, Nissan plans to add “No Charge to Charge” and EZ-Charge at Leaf dealers in at least 15 additional markets during the following year. More details on the programs in these additional markets will be made available closer to their launch.

The EZ-Charge access card is managed by NRG eVgo with support from ChargePoint, CarCharging and AeroVironment.

“Nissan’s commitment to mass-market electric cars is matched by our commitment to increase charging infrastructure for Leaf owners,” said Brendan Jones, director, Nissan EV Infrastructure and Strategy. “EZ-Charge is a natural progression of our multi-pronged commitment to developing EV charging at workplace campuses, at Nissan Leaf dealerships and in the communities where Leaf drivers live and work.”

Published in the May 2014 Edition of American Recycler News