Getting behind the wheel of the all new Nissan Leaf is a lot easier now that the 2012 Leaf has been released in 36 states. The Leaf EV is also becoming more and more popular with our neighbors across the pond. In an effort to encourage purchasing the all new electric vehicle the Japanese automaker is donating electric vehicle rechargers to European gas stations.

More specifically, the Japanese automaker is giving away a total of 400 quick charger devices to EV charging stations throughout Europe. When Nissan announced the giveaway they stated that the charging stations are vital to making EV-driving more mainstream.

"With a significant number of (quick chargers) available across Europe, EV owners will be able to recharge quickly no matter where they go. We believe this is essential for the mass adoption of EVs," Pierre Loing, VP of Nissan's product planning.¹

Though quick-chargers will not give your EV battery a full recharge, the charging stations will allow EV batteries to partially recharge in a short period of time. The quick-chargers speedy bursts of energy will take roughly the same time as stopping to fuel up a car with gasoline. The sophisticated lithium ion batteries in the EV can be recharged from 0% to 80% capacity in a half hour.

A few weeks ago the official US EPA government ratings for 2012 models were released. They stated that Nissan Leaf's "MPG" rating is a combined 73 miles city/hwy. Nissan of Manhattan thinks those are impressive numbers!

If you are interested in learning more about the technology and science of the Leaf and EV charging give us a call or stop by Nissan of Manhattan in New York, New York. We are eager to share our knowledge with you!

Source: ¹http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/11/nissan-giving-away-quick-chargers-in-europe/