Charging is the name of the game when driving an electric vehicle. Being an electric vehicle, Nissan Leaf requires regular charging through either regular chargers or a quick charger, depending on the model of the vehicle.
But if your model does not have one you can add a quick charger to a Nissan leaf to take advantage of rapid charging.
Older Nissan Leaf models can be retrofitted with a quick charger which will reduce the charge time. The components to add a quick charger are less expensive than the twenty-hour installation cost.
Remodeling and tinkering with vehicles have long been an enjoyable pass time for many but be warned, adding a quick charger to a Nissan Leaf should be left to professionals.
Table of Contents
- Can A Quick Charger Be Added To Any Nissan Leaf?
- What Is Quick Charging?
- How Does Fast Charging Work?
- What Is CHAdeMO?
- Conclusion
Can A Quick Charger Be Added To Any Nissan Leaf?
Quick charging ports were optional on the 2013 Nissan Leaf S and SV models. However, these are the typical vehicles leaf owners would consider adding quick chargers to.
Adding a quick charger to an older model Nissan Leaf requires much electrical and mechanical work to ensure everything works as intended.
What Is Quick Charging?
Quick charging or DC fast charging, can only be done at designated rapid charge stations and is only compatible with certain electric vehicles. The fast-charging option takes forty minutes to one hour of charging to charge a battery pack to eighty percent depending on the battery size, either a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery or a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Three Ways To Charge A Nissan Leaf
There are three ways you can charge your Nissan Leaf, levels one and two can be done at home, at work, and at public chargers. Level three is only available at designated charging stations with fast charging equipment.
Level One Chargers
Level one chargers require a standard one-hundred-and-twenty-volt outlet. Level one is the easiest way to charge your Nissan leaf using the cable issued with the vehicle. Remember, level one charging is the slowest and may take two and a half days to recharge the battery pack fully.
Level Two Chargers
Level two charging can be done at home or at charging stations. Level two charging at home will require additional charging equipment, two hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty volts, and a dedicated fifty-amp circuit. Level two charging may take between seven and a half to eleven hours to recharge the battery pack.
Level Three Chargers
Level three, when using a fast charger, will recharge battery packs within forty to sixty minutes. You can only use direct current fast chargers at designated public charging stations.
In addition, level three battery chargers are only compatible with certain electric vehicles. Fortunately, most level three chargers are compatible with Nissan Leafs. Also, be aware that electricity costs more at these rapid chargers than at home.
How Does Fast Charging Work?
Fast charging refers to using a direct current to charge battery packs. Put plainly, there is no need to revert alternate current to direct current to safely recharge the battery pack.
Reverting alternate current to direct current is time-consuming, hence the long recharging hours required when using level one and two chargers.
Fast chargers recharge battery packs straight from the direct current, saving time by eliminating the need to revert currents. These charging stations are great when you are on a road trip to increase your range per charge fast.
What Is CHAdeMO?
CHAdeMo is the DC (direct current) standard used to rapidly charge electric vehicles such as the Nissan LEAF. How battery packs are charged with the CHAdeMO system differs entirely from the standard level one and two chargers discussed earlier.
Conclusion
Adding a rapid charger to your Nissan leaf makes complete sense in the fast-paced world we are finding ourselves in. It could be worth the installation costs especially if you travel longer distances and require a quick boost.
Just pull into a rapid charging station pop the charge port lid, and fill up in forty to sixty minutes, just time for a coffee and toilet break then back on the road, Happy Days.
