Nissan and Hydro-Québec partner to expand the Electric Circuit public charging network in Quebec

Nissan commits to 20 DC Fast Charging sites in 2015 and five more in 2016

Today at the Montreal International Auto Show, Nissan announced it will support the expansion of the public charging network the Electric Circuit with a significant investment in 25 DC Fast Charging sites. The partnership agreement is part of a new phase of development of the Electric Circuit, which targets up to 50 sites in high-traffic, major road corridors and large urban centres.

“With record sales for the Nissan LEAF, more Canadians are embracing electric mobility and this growth will continue as public charging infrastructure continues to expand, making longer distance drives even easier,” said Christian Meunier, president of Nissan Canada Inc. “This is the next phase of Nissan’s commitment to supporting electric mobility in Canada and we understand that charging infrastructure should support all electric vehicles to make maximum impact. Hydro-Québec has demonstrated considerable leadership in developing public charging infrastructure and we’re very happy to support the expansion of the Electric Circuit.”

Québec City based AddÉnergie will supply the chargers which will be manufactured at AddÉnergie’s plant in Shawinigan. Equipped with both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo plugs, the DC Fast Chargers will accommodate charging the Nissan LEAF and most electric vehicles. In under 30 minutes a fully depleted Nissan LEAF battery can be charged to 80 per cent, getting drivers back on the road quickly.

“Nissan has been at the forefront of promoting electric mobility globally with the launch of the Nissan LEAF, which has changed the perception of what driving electric really means,” said Pierre-Luc Desgagné, Vice-President, Public and Government Affairs at Hydro-Québec. “With Nissan’s important support of the next phase of the Electric Circuit, we’ll ensure even more EV drivers have the convenience of fast charging while continuing the deployment of level 2 chargers throughout the province.”

The agreement aims to help finance the commissioning of 20 fast charging sites for the Electric Circuit in 2015, with five more planned for in 2016. Targeted sites will coincide with short stops like restaurant chains, and convenience stores, making their use simple and convenient. The roll-out plan targets a number of roads such as:

•   Highway 20
•   Highway 10
•   Highway 15
•   Highway 50
•   Highway 35 towards Vermont

The first DC Fast Charging sites are already confirmed for:

Drummondville (Highway 20)
Rôtisserie St-Hubert – 2875, boulevard Saint-Joseph

Lévis (Highway 20)
Carrefour Saint-Romuald, intersection of road 132 and 175

Magog (Highway 10)
Espace Santé Globale, 2381-2389, rue Principale Ouest (road 112)

St-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Highway 35)
Centre commercial St-Luc/St-Jean – 170-174, boulevard Saint-Luc

Information, images and B-Roll of Nissan’s full lineup are available at www.media.nissan.ca or upon request.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (USD 105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website .

About Nissan Canada
Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. With offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC), NCI directly employs 250 full-time staff. There are 187 independent Nissan dealerships, 38 Infiniti retailers and 45 Nissan Commercial Vehicle dealers across Canada. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year awards.

More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.infiniti.ca.

About the Electric Circuit
The Electric Circuit is Canada and Québec’s first public charging network. It is a major initiative in providing the charging infrastructure required to support the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles in Québec. The network has over 360 public charging stations in operation in Québec, including eight fast-charge stations in operation since December 2014. Inaugurated in March 2012, the Electric Circuit has almost 3,700 members, more than 90 private and institutional partners, including five founding partners, and covers more than 90 cities and 15 administrative regions.

Electric Circuit users have access to a 24/7 telephone help line run by CAA-Québec as well as a charging station locator service. The Electric Circuit Web site, theelectriccircuit.com, and the mobile application for iOS and Android are updated as new stations are commissioned.

Media contacts:

Louis-Olivier Batty
Hydro-Québec, for the Electric Circuit
514 289-4214
batty.louis-olivier@hydro.qc.ca