Australian-owned and operated Jet Charge has been chosen by Nissan Australia as its preferred EV charging provider as part of the auto company’s plans ahead of the arrival of the new all-electric Nissan Leaf, due here mid-2019.
Jet Charge claims to be the largest domestic and dealer charger installation service provider in Australia and will be responsible for the installation of EV charging hardware and software at the 89 Nissan dealerships that will sell Leaf across the country – up from 12 dealers when the first generation Leaf arrived in 2012.
The company will also be Nissan’s consumer charging installer and post purchase support provider, so they’ll fit Nissan’s home-based quick chargers for people who pay extra for them.
“Nissan will have the largest dealership network with EV chargers in Australia,” said Nissan Australia managing director, Stephen Lester.
“We have increased the number of Nissan Leaf sales outlets making it more accessible to more customers.
“JET Charge has the expertise to manage all of Nissan’s electric vehicle infrastructure needs and ensures a full and smooth transition to electric mobility.”
“Nissan is supporting the Leaf buyers with the whole charging package making sure dealerships and homes can be set up and ready,” said JET Charge founder and CEO, Tim Washington.
“It’s extremely exciting for JET Charge because Leaf is not just another electric car, it’s an electric car that is going to change the way we think about how we use cars.
“From a technological and infrastructure perspective it’s exciting, because working with Nissan allows us to showcase the future of mobility in Australia.”
While electric vehicle sales are yet to take off in Australia, a spike in sales growth is expected to come in the next several years, according to Nissan’s research, and the auto company says it is ready, with plans for a third of its new car fleet to be electric in coming years.
The sales spike is a view echoed by Washington who is also chairperson of the Electric Vehicle Council. “It will be gradual with a series of jumping points, but we are forecasting a significant increase in EV sales between now and 2025,” he said.
“Nissan is very well placed, you can’t underestimate just how important experience is in successfully selling an electric vehicle.
“Having worked with Nissan for the past three years, it’s pretty clear that there has been a lot of preparation and planning ahead of the launch of the New Leaf.
“It does contrast with other vehicle manufacturers, which is really encouraging as a service provider.
“The arrival of Leaf is a big deal for the industry.”
JET Charge boasts sales representatives and specialist electricians and staff Australia-wide. The company will be responsible for installing wall and pedestal units at the 89 Leaf approved dealerships, and will train dealer sales staff and service technicians.
JET Charge will work with dealers to assist owners with their home charging needs and on-going support, Mr Washington said.
Tony Bosworth writes for www.TheDriven.io and RenewEconomy.com.au. He has 35 years experience in journalism, and has been instrumental in launching and editing several automotive magazines including Which Car? magazine in the UK.
