Nissan / ChargePoint

Nissan Australia has taken another major step in readying for the arrival of its ground-breaking, new zero-emission family hatchback, the LEAF.

The Japanese manufacturer's business partner, ChargePoint has installed a series of level 2 Electric Vehicle charging stations at Nissan's Dandenong headquarters ahead of the LEAF's arrival in numbers in Australia next year.

The two CT2000 stations and the CT500 fleet station are located at Nissan's Frankston Dandenong Road offices and have full communication capabilities. The 32 Amp, level two fixed cable charging stations have the ability to share diagnostic information with the vehicle under charge.

Nissan Australia CEO & Managing Director, Dan Thompson said the CT2000 stations are available for use by Nissan staff and LEAF visitors. "Thus, the stations have the ability to provide a service to a wide range of users," he said.

"It will simply be a case of swiping your ChargePass card and plugging in your Nissan LEAF. ChargePoint says that, while the three recharging stations at Nissan are the first level two charge points to be installed in Australasia, many others will follow as business and consumers embrace electric transportation.

Chargepoint already has more than 30 other public and private charging stations in operation throughout Australia and New Zealand, it says.

ChargePoint CEO James Brown says these 32 Amp Level 2 fixed cable charging stations have full communications capabilities.

"The stations have the ability to share diagnostic information with electric cars. It is a particularly exciting time for EV technology and the availability of these Level 2 charging stations is the first of several advancements we will see in coming months.

"The CT2000 stations will not be for the sole use of Nissan's employees. Rather, all EV users stand to benefit from their installation," Mr Brown says.

Importantly, drivers don't need to remember to bring along their own power cord because a fixed cable is attached to each of the charging stations.

"It will simply be a case of swiping your ChargePass card, plugging the vehicle into the socket for a safe recharge, then before you know it you will be on your way again," Mr Brown says.

He says while the three stations are the first Level 2 ChargePoints to be installed in Australasia, many others will follow, as business and consumers embrace electric transportation.

ChargePoint already has more than 30 public and private charging stations in operation throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Safety remains a paramount consideration for Nissan as it does for ChargePoint's revolutionary technology.

With a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating as well the top rating in the respected IIHS safety awards in the USA, the front-wheel drive Nissan LEAF claimed the awards for World Car of the Year and European Car of the Year.

It has been hailed by Time Magazine as one of the 50 Best Inventions and received Popular Mechanics 2010 Breakthrough Award.

Its development saw Nissan as the only car manufacturer to be named among the "World's Most Innovative Companies", joining the likes of Apple, Twitter and Facebook.