At last, Nissan Leaf owners have access to an adapter that will let them use common public chargers. But it’s a pricey one.
The news comes via the YouTube channel of a Finnish electric vehicle (EV) repair company, Dala’s EV Repair. But the product comes from China’s Dongguan Longood Technology Co. At $1,050 a piece through Alibaba, it’s not cheap. But it gives owners of the Leaf and other older EVs like the Kia Soul EV and Mitsubishi i-MiEV access to many large public charging networks for the first time.
What’s This About Ports?
Not every EV can recharge using every charger. Three charging ports and plugs are common to EVs in the United States and aren’t interchangeable.
There are perils to going first. Pioneers rarely find the most efficient way to do something.
The Leaf is the original electric vehicle (EV) in the U.S. Launching the first large-scale EV sales, Nissan had to use the first of several attempts to create a DC charging system for electric cars. They built the Leaf around a charging port called CHAdeMO — one of the first attempts to develop a common charging system for EVs.
CHAdeMO caught on in Asia.
However, in the U.S., most EV builders instead use a port from the Combined Charging System (CCS). Since most manufacturers used CCS, most companies that built public charging networks did, too. In many parts of the U.S., it’s difficult to find public CHAdeMO chargers.
To complicate matters further, Tesla developed its own port and plug, which it calls the North American Charging Standard (NACS). It then built out its own charging network.
The automotive industry is slowly standardizing on one solution. Last year, most automakers agreed to convert to the Tesla port and plug. They’re developing adapters so CCS users can plug into Tesla chargers. In all likelihood, a decade from now, almost every EV on sale will have an NACS port in it.
But today, there are three ports on the road, and EV drivers must find a charger that fits their car.
This Could Make Road Trips Less Stressful
Since most EV owners do most of their charging at home, a Leaf or an older i-MiEV or Soul EV can make a practical daily driver for many. But road-tripping in those cars has been risky, given the lack of public CHAdeMO chargers. The adapter should ease that concern and maybe help some owners make their current car last a few years longer until this charging mess has eased.
