Renault-Nissan, Daikyo to Test Chargers for Condominiums

As the last pieces of the puzzle fall into place and the Nissan Leaf is getting ready to take its place in the automotive world, one of the last problems for EV owners is about to get solved. Renault-Nissan, together with Daikyo, one of the largest largest condominium builders in Japan, struck a deal to develop the chargers and the required charging infrastructure for this type of building.

The partners will launch the "Demonstration Project for EV Charging Infrastructure in Condominium Buildings" project, an endeavor meant to find solutions and guinea-pig buildings to test those solutions on.

Nissan will provide Daikyo condominium owners with chargers and EVs for testing purposes, so that it may pinpoint problems and troubleshoot them. In all, Daikyo will install chargers in ten percent of the parking in each of the condominium buildings in the Lions Mansion Series complex.

“Electric vehicles will make a significant contribution towards moving towards this new society with a lower carbon footprint. Nissan and Daikyo understand that development of a charging infrastructure is a key component for widespread acceptance of electric vehicles by consumers,” Nissan says in a release.

The Leaf needs 30 minutes to recharge the battery to 80 percent of its capacity using a new charging system developed by Nissan and up to 8 hours from a 200V home outlet. It can run for 100 miles (160 km) on a full charge.

Currently, the Nissan Leaf is touring Japan. Dubbed the "new action TOUR," the journey is meant to promote the Leaf EV and its advantages to the general public.