joanna krupa

Nissan announced a partnership with San Diego Gas and Electric to develop and promote an electric vehicle-charging network for the San Diego area. joanna krupa

The automaker will help the power company acquire electric vehicles and will work with agencies and city departments to flesh out EV infrastructure implementation to make San Diego "plug-in ready."

SDG&E has made a commitment to bring 100 of Nissan's EV to San Diego to start, and Nissan representative Katherine Zachary said she expects zeros to be added to that number in the future.

For consumers, Nissan will publish deployment plans for EV charging stations at shopping centers within the next few months. Nissan will also work with San Diego government departments to streamline the process for installing EV Safety Equipment in homes and workplaces.

EV Safety Equipment is a surge protector that manages the power supply between the power grid and the car. The Level two 220-volt outlets must be installed by an electrician, have its own breaker, and are hardwired to the power grid.

The EV Safety Equipment will cost about $350, and installation will vary, Zachary said.

Nissan is also working with SDG&E and the city to identify areas that can accommodate Level three 440-volt fast charging stations. These stations can recharge the battery of Nissan's EV in 26 minutes, but you won't find of these rapid chargers in a residence. Most homes are not equipped to deliver Level three voltage. joanna krupa

These stations will be installed at strategic locations where people spend a similar amount of time--such as shopping centers--to extend the range of EV vehicles, said Tracy Woodard, Director of Government Affairs for