Nissan drives accessibility for electric vehicles within Europe in NEXT-E partnership

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• Nissan and partners accelerating access to electric vehicles in key European markets
• Installing 252 charging stations across 6 countries, incorporating solar power and battery storage
• NEXT-E project received in 2017 the largest e-mobility grant from the European Commission for electric vehicle projects

PARIS, France – NEXT-E Consortium has installed a fully integrated and accessible charging infrastructure in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Romania under the NEXT-E project. Over the last four years, Nissan has joined forces with ZSE, E.ON, HEP, PETROL, MOL Group and BMW to facilitate widespread EV adoption, enabling e-mobility.

In total, 222 multi-standard fast charging stations and 30 ultra-fast charging stations were installed. This creates the crucial infrastructure needed to support the increasing demand of electric vehicles and aid customers in their transition to an electrified future. Sustainable charging solutions and integrating of renewable energy form part of Nissan's carbon neutrality ambition. Going the extra mile in the name of energy efficiency, Nissan along with its consortium partners also adapted the charging stations specifically for customer needs. The consortium implemented chargers with solar energy production and stationary battery energy storage in locations where there was not a constant electricity supply. The introduction of roofed stations enabled the deployment of solar PV at the stations, allowing for maximum utilisation of the space and greater economic efficiency.

The consortium also recognised that customers require flexible payment methods and to increase accessibility. The NEXT-E charging infrastructure is based on widely-accepted payment options, including digital payment methods, subscriptions for customers with a monthly plan, payment cards and contactless operations.

Further emphasising the innovation behind this collaboration, at the time, the project was awarded the largest e-mobility grant from the European Commission. From the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme for electric vehicle projects, NEXT-E received a recommended co-funding of €18.84 million.

To support the uptake of EV usage in the region, the project outlined the most strategic and cost-effective approaches to infrastructure reform and services deployment. This effort has since connected pan-European regions and provided a seamless, comfortable, long-distance driving experience based 100% on electricity. NEXT-E has enriched the existing network in the project countries and created new electrified transport corridors for a cohesive EV roadmap.

"The Next-E project is closely aligned with our intention to work collaboratively with other key industry players towards a cleaner, safer and more inclusive future. We're very pleased to see this project come to full fruition, electrifying the journey of our customers in Central Eastern European countries. We are committed to increasing accessibility to electric vehicles and have laid out our long-term vision for mobility and beyond in our Ambition 2030.  With this, we plan to deliver superior value by empowering journeys and society through exciting, electrified vehicles and technological innovations" noted Friederike Kienitz, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, Corporate Governance, Legal, External Affairs and Communications, AMIEO Region.

Electrification is one of the essential components in smart city planning with electric vehicles being integrated into the transportation system seamlessly. Charging stations are the main source of energy for EVs and their locations are critical to their accessibility. Nissan continues to work closely with industry leaders and government bodies to increase accessibility and create a global ecosystem for mobility and beyond, deploying fast chargers on the key European highways and corridors.