Nissan LEAF: Making electric car charging easy

One of the biggest questions people have around electric car ownership is charging. Whether home charging or public charging, the change from petrol splash-and-dash to electric plug-and-play is simple to those in the know, but it can cause a few frighteners for electric car novices. Luckily, the Nissan LEAF makes charging easy.

For more information on the all-electric Nissan LEAF, head to nissan.co.uk/leaf.

The easiest, most cost-effective way to recharge your Nissan LEAF is overnight at home, while it’s sitting in your garage or on your drive. Costs for home chargers vary, but the UK government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) covers up to 75% of costs. That means a 7kW charger from Nissan partner PodPoint – which is 3x faster at charging than a domestic 3-pin socket – can cost as little as £529.^[1]

On a 7kWh charger like this, the Nissan LEAF 40kWh, which boasts up to 168 miles of range (WLTP combined)^[2], can recharge to 100% in 7hr30min^[3] – that can get you from Birmingham to Exeter, or last you up to a week if you do lots of small journeys^[2][4]. The Nissan LEAF e+ – which has a larger-capacity 62kWH battery that offers range up to 239 miles (WLTP combined)^[2] – takes 11hr30min to charge^[3]. By taking advantage of lower-cost overnight electric rates, you can recharge for just a few pounds and pence.

When you’re on the move, charging is just as easy – and even quicker. To charge from 20% to 80% using a rapid 50kW CHAdeMO public charger takes as little as an hour in a Nissan LEAF 40kWh, and 90 minutes in the longer-range Nissan LEAF e+^[3]. The trick is to make the most of every charging opportunity – either grazing for charge when you make short stops like the weekly shop or lunch with friends, or doing a longer charge during a trip to the movies.

And while it may look like there’s a wealth of different companies offering public charging, they’ve all made the process simple, letting you choose the best to suit your journeys. So, why not take a look at the Nissan LEAF and find out how simple charging makes electric car ownership easier than you think.

For more information on What Car? True MPG, head to whatcar.com/truempg.

[1] Eligibility criteria apply. Please refer to the following site for details: gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles

[2] Laminated lithium-ion 40kWh battery with up to 168 miles range and e+ 62kWh battery with up to 239 miles range. WLTP figures shown are for comparability purposes. Actual real-world driving results may vary depending on factors such as the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted after registration, weather conditions, driving styles and vehicle load.

[3] Indicated charging times and costs may vary depending on factors including charger type and condition, battery temperature and ambient temperature at point of use, and if the battery safeguarding technology is activated. Visit nissan.co.uk to find out more.

[4] Based on average annual mileage of petrol/diesel drivers of 7400 miles per year (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/nts09-vehicle-mileage-and- MPG occupancy#car-mileage). Equates to 142 miles per week/20 miles per day.