In a word – no.
While Nissan is enouraging the purchase of a charger when you order a LEAF, you will not be required to purchase one. If you decide to opt out, Nissan will require that you sign a waiver acknowledging this fact.
Nissan expects that most LEAF owners will charge their LEAF at home. You will need a charger to do this. Nissan is trying to streamline the process by incorporating the in-home assessment and charger installation into the purchase process. While Nissan has estimated the charger installation at $2,200, keep in mind, that is an estimate. It could be more – or less – than that.
Also, keep in mind that there will be a federal tax credit of 50% of the cost to buy and install an electric vehicle charger. If the cost to purchase and install the charger runs $2,500, you will receive a $1,250 federal income tax credit. This credit is capped at $2,000.
Nissan in January announced an agreement with Aerovironment to provide and install electric chargers for the LEAF. The in-home assessments recommended will be contracted through Aerovironment. This does not preclude the LEAF owner from pursuing alternative arrangements. That said, we expect that most LEAF owners will make it easy on themselves and go with Nissan’s recommended solution.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I am not a tax expert . However, I believe the credit is available provded you do not run into the AMT . If you must pay alternative minimum tax, I believe you can lose the credit
stanley
Dumb question… Is the charger a Level 1 or 2? In other words, how long will it take me to charge my fully-depleted LEAF on the home charger purchased from Nissan?
Bobby:
The charger that Nissan is offering for installation is a Level 2 charger. Depending on your situation, it seems the charger cost, including installation will range from $2200-$2500. There is a 50% federal income tax credit that will reduce your cost. The EV Project is offering a free charger to about 5000 early adopters in the first five launch markets. You can sign up here if you wish to be considered. They will cover the cost of the charger, and most if not all installation costs. This will charge the fully depleted battery in about 8 hours. The LEAF will come standard with an emergency 110V power cord to allow you to plug in anywhere. This connection will be Level 1. Hopefully you will never need to use it as it could take up to 16 hours for a full charge on this connection.
Thanks for checking out Living LEAF!
Ernie