Official

Nissan installs 1,000th CHAdeMO fast charger in Europe

While the European Union hasn't been very supportive of CHAdeMO stations, the fast chargers are seeing significant growth in the European electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, with Nissan installing number 1,000 at the Roadchef Clacket Lane Services in Surrey, UK recently. In the past year, the number of CHAdeMO fast chargers nearly doubled in Europe, starting from about 600 stations in early 2013, and that's helping make EVs more useful. Nissan says that installation of a CHAdeMO station along Norway's E18 highway increased EV use eightfold there in the 18-month period after that station was installed.

The new CHAdeMO station in the UK is available to use for free and, like other CHAdeMO stations, can charge a Nissan Leaf or other compatible EV up to an 80-percent charge in just under 30 minutes. Japanese automakers like Nissan and Mitsubishi are dedicated to the CHAdeMO but German and US automakers continue to support a competing technology in Europe and abroad, the SAE Combo DC fast charger. Tesla Motors has covered all the bases as it rolls out its $1,000 CHAdeMO adapter for its Supercharger stations.

Nissan worked with Ecotricity, a UK green energy firm considered to be a pioneer in EV charging, for the Surrey installation. Nissan says that installing it on the M25 highway south of London helps EV drivers gain easy access to Kent and onward into Europe on one of the busiest roads in Europe. That will help drivers of the Leaf and the upcoming Nissan e-NV200 electric van to quickly extend their journeys, said Jean Pierre Diernaz, Nissan's director of electric vehicles, in the press release available below.
Nissan Installs Europe's 1,000th 30-Minute Electric Car Charger
  • 1,000th CHAdeMO standard quick charger installed in the UK
  • UK has 18% of Europe's electric vehicle quick chargers
  • Charger provides free, zero carbon electricity from Ecotricity
  • Chargers recharge electric cars from 0-80% in 30 minutes
Nissan has announced 1,000 CHAdeMO quick chargers have now been installed in Europe with the commissioning of the charger at the Roadchef Clacket Lane Services in Surrey, UK. The fast charging unit can recharge the batteries of compatible* electric vehicles - including the 100% electric Nissan LEAF - from zero to 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes, and at zero cost.

The installation of the fastest type of chargers dramatically increases the uptake and usage of electric vehicles. In Norway, Europe's biggest EV market, the number of electric vehicles using the E18 highway increased eight fold in an 18 month period after a CHAdeMO quick charger was installed on the route**.

The new charger has been installed in collaboration with Ecotricity, a UK green energy specialist and pioneer in electric vehicle charging. The location south of London on the M25 motorway, one of the busiest in Europe, allows drivers west of London easy access to Kent and onwards into Europe.

Director of Electric Vehicles, Nissan Europe, Jean Pierre Diernaz commented: "This is a huge landmark for zero-emission mobility, allowing a range of EVs, including the Nissan LEAF and forthcoming Nissan e-NV200 electric van, to quickly extend their journeys. The UK charging network is expanding rapidly and through our partner Ecotricity, customers are able to 'refuel' their car for free with wind and solar generated electricity."

This latest charger is part of a network of 195 chargers in the UK, which is forming electric corridors across the country, linking major towns and cities. In the UK, Nissan has been working with partners including IKEA, Moto, Roadchef, Welcome Break and Nissan dealers to create this rapidly growing network with 124 quick chargers installed in 2013.

The rate of installation of CHAdeMO quick chargers across Europe rose sharply in 2013, hugely increasing access for Nissan LEAF customers. In 2010 there were just 16 quick charging points. This rose to 155 a year later and 540 in 2012. The 1,000 mark in 2013 will be dwarfed by the end of 2014 with over 1,800 quick charger points expected. Together with Nissan, investment in this Euope-wide development of infrastructure comes from a multitude of partners in the energy field, including the Swiss multinational power company ABB, French quick charger manufacturers DBT, and the Portuguese EFACEC Corporation, leaders in the electromechanics field.

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