Nissan, BMW Partner Up on Fast Chargers Across the U.S.

Nissan and BMW have come together to mutually deploy dual-duty fast chargers in 120 locations nationally as a way of promoting electric vehicles. Nissan, which builds the best-selling EV of all time, the LEAF, and BMW, whose i3 is the second-best seller in recent months, are adding fast chargers in 19 states.

The goal is to both support existing electric vehicle (EV) owners and promote adoption of EVs nationwide. Continuing on with their individual efforts, BMW and Nissan are joining forces to combine efforts into a more cost-effective, faster-paced deployment of fast charging stations. They are planning 120 locations in 19 states before the end of 2016.

The partnership revolves around a dual charging station system that not only can charge two vehicles at a time, but that utilizes both the CHAdeMO and the SAE Combo connectors to be compatible with the largest array of EVs on the road. The 50 kW stations can charge a LEAF or i3 to 80 percent in less than thirty minutes, regardless of the car's charge state when it plugs in. Any vehicle with a quick charge port and plug-in compatible with the fast charging stations can also use them.

These new charging stations will be added to the maps in ConnectedDrive and i Remote App in BMW cars and the EZ-Charge app in Nissan vehicles. The chargers are also compatible with the Nissan EZ-Charge cards, which give new LEAF owners two years of free public charging in select markets.

“Nissan takes a three-pronged approach to growing public EV charging options for LEAF drivers by installing quick chargers in the community, at corporate workplaces and at Nissan dealerships,” said Andrew Speaker, Nissan’s director of Electric Vehicle Sales and Marketing. “By working with BMW to increase the number of available public quick-chargers, we are able to further enhance range confidence among EV drivers across the country.”

“BMW continues to pursue new ways to support the development of a robust public charging infrastructure that will benefit current and future BMW i3 owners across the country. This BMW-Nissan project builds on BMW’s ongoing commitment to participate in joint partnerships designed to expand DC Fast charging options nationwide for all EV drivers,” said Cliff Fietzek, Manager Connected eMobility, BMW of North America. “Together with Nissan, we are focused on facilitating longer distance travel so that even more drivers will choose to experience the convenience of e-mobility for themselves.”