Fast Charging For A Nissan Leaf — My Experience

I once again realize there is fast charging and then there is much faster Tesla ludicrous fast charging. Although fast charging for the Nissan Leaf is not nearly as swift as Tesla superfast charging, it is a huge differential in my life and in my day when I find a fast charger that is not blocked.

I’ve found a reliable one in a parking garage that larger vehicles cannot park in due to size, thankfully. I suspect that they would be afraid to be ticketed in this garage as well. For people bothered by sitting on the inside of a garage, this is a safe spot that people do not block, and it is located near a nice park with small ponds.

Time is not always money — however, once in a while, a lack of time to charge affects one’s work. It can also affect one’s energy. Sitting in a sweltering car (or a very cold car) is challenging — especially when there is much to be done in one’s work day or with family. I never feel I need a fast charger, but when cramped and hot and my blood sugar is low, it helps to charge quickly (or I just have to charge less).

One fast charger I have used charges a fee of $5.00 per charge — but it gets stuck, so I do not use it anymore. One charges by the ½ hour (much less than $5.00). It is nicely located close to an indoor resting spot as well, so I sometimes take advantage of the timely convenience, and that I can exit the car and rest inside if the heat is affecting me adversely.

One of the fast chargers I use has a parking meter, so it also charges by the ½ hour. This one is blocked by illegally parked cars much of the time, so it is not reliable or dependable. It is pretty in the evening, though. Here are some pictures of it:

The charge is simply via a parking meter to the city — about 30 cents or so per ½ hour. I love it, when large gas-guzzling vehicles do not block it. I also like this charging station because it states “Electric Vehicle Charging Only.” Some signs say “Electric Vehicle Parking Only,” but this one emphasizes charging, which I think is helpful since some (many?) hybrid drivers think they qualify for “electric vehicle parking.”

I charge and move on. I hope others are considerate when charging at these stations as well. More fast-charging stations would be nice, as would better awareness and enforcement that keeps non-EVs out of these limited charging spots. For now, though, I’m quite happy with the fast-charging options we have in Sarasota.

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Images by Cynthia Shahan