Nissan->ke62 seems to be taking a play right from Tesla’s->ke1842 electric car playbook, as the automaker introduces its “No Charge to Charge” program. As the program’s name suggests, it allows new Nissan LEAF owners to charge their all-electric cars->ke1030 at any one of Nissan’s growing network of charging stations. Already live in 10 markets across the U.S., the 2,600 public charging stations and 200 quick charging stations will accept Nissan’s EZ-ChargeSM card.

Acting like a credit card, the EZ-ChargeSM card will give owners the change to fill their batteries, but without a bill at the end of the month. Nissan is planning to grow the network of quick-charging stations by an additional 500 units at Nissan dealerships, and local businesses and municipalities across the country. Those businesses and municipal partners will include those who’ve partnered with Nissan in key LEAF markets.

The EZ-ChargeSM card also opens up the nation’s leading five EV charging networks that include ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment, and NRG eVgo. The stations are accessible in the top-10 LEAF market across the country including the cities of San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Oregon., Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston and Washington, D.C. The dealer network will then extend into another 15 additional EV markets outside those cities.

LEAF owners will be able to charge their vehicles up to 80 percent in roughly 30 minutes at the quick-charging stations. Obviously the conventional charging stations will take longer to charge a depleted battery.

Click past the jump to read more about the Nissan LEAF.

Why It Matters

The main factor in the all-electric vehicle's success resides in the owners’ ability to recharge. Just as Tesla has expanded its Supercharger network in areas on the west and east coast, so have their sale expanded. The more charging stations expand -- quick charging and free charging especially -- the more the general public will be more accepting of electric vehicles. After all, why buy a car that will only take you so far, then leave you stranded without a means of refueling?

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan LEAF is an all-electric vehicle that operates via a 24kWh lithium-ion battery. That battery pack includes 48 compact modules of four cells each that power the 80kW AC synchronous motor. The unit delivers a total of 107 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels.

Rated at 129 MPGe, the LEAF has a range of 75 miles on a single charge.

Pricing for the LEAF starts at $28,980 and grows to $35,020 for the SL version. Options include the Charge Package ($1,300), the Premium Package ($1,050), and the LED Headlights and Quick Charge Port Package ($1,630). Of course the Federal Government is offering some hardy incentives to EV buyers, helping knock the LEAF’s base price down to as low as $21,480.