The quickest method of charging a 2011 Nissan Leaf is with a DC fast charger, which are only available at public EV charging stations. These chargers are capable of bringing the Nissan Leaf’s battery from 20% to 80% in just 28 minutes.

If you’re an EV owner, you know how important it can be to calculate charge times. The last thing you want is to be late for an important meeting because your electric car’s battery is dead. You have a few options when it comes to charging up your Nissan Leaf, but which one suits you best?

Here to answer that question is

Jerry

, the

trusted car insurance broker app

that saves drivers money on car insurance. In this article, we’ll explore all the charging options for the 2011 Nissan Leaf and offer up some tips on how to reduce your

Nissan Leaf insurance costs

, too.

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How long does a 2011 Nissan Leaf take to charge?

Charging your 2011 Nissan Leaf can take anywhere from 28 minutes to two and a half days depending on what kind of charging equipment you use.

The 2011 Leaf was outfitted with a 360 volt 24 kWh lithium-ion battery with 100 miles of range. While the Leaf was available in two trim levels back in 2011—the SV and the SL—both came with the same size power pack, so the charging time won’t hinge on which trim you have. That said, the SL model does weigh slightly more than the SV—about 48 pounds more—so you can expect that the SL models will get slightly less range.

The 2011 Nissan Leaf was the very first highway-ready fully-electric car, so its battery is relatively small compared to contemporary EVs like the 2022 Nissan Leaf or the

2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E

. The Leaf’s 100-mile range pales in comparison to the 2022 Leaf’s 226-mile range and the 358-mile range of the

Tesla Model 3

. On the flip side, smaller batteries charge faster, so the 2011 Leaf does have an advantage there.

Just how fast you can charge that little energy cell depends on what type of charging equipment you use. Leaf owners have a number of charging options from publicly available DC fast-charging stations to a standard household 120-volt electrical outlet. Each type of equipment charges at different speeds, which is why charging times vary so widely.

Let’s take a closer look at how fast the 2011 Nissan Leaf charges using each of the available methods.

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At-home charging speeds for a 2011 Nissan Leaf

Charging your 2011 Leaf at home is easy, but it can be time-consuming. The most rudimentary way to charge up your EV at home is by plugging it into a run-of-the-mill three-pronged household electrical outlet. The Nissan Leaf comes with an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment unit—or EVSE—which connects the car to the 120-volt wall socket.

This method can be very slow, with the Leaf charging at a rate of five miles of range per hour. At that rate, it can take up to two and a half days before your battery is full.

Level 2 charging is much faster. This type of charging uses a dedicated 240-volt outlet, like the kind you plug your washer and dryer into. To use this method, you’ll need to purchase a special EVSE as pre-2018 Leaf models did not come with Level 2 connectors. This charging method can boost your battery at a rate of up to 25 miles per hour, filling your cell in 8–12 hours.

Home charging method	2011 Leaf SV charge time	2011 Leaf SL charge time
120-volt outlet (Level 1)	2.5 days	2.5 days
240-volt outlet w/EVSE adapter (Level 2)	8–12 hours	8–12 hours

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Public charging speeds for a 2011 Nissan Leaf

Public charging stations offer all varieties of charging options from Level 1 to Level 3 DC fast-charging stations, and even Tesla Superchargers.

Level 2 stations offer charging times similar to what you’re used to at home with your own Level 2 connection—25 miles per hour. These can be useful if you’re planning on hanging out at the park for the day, but if you’re in a hurry, Level 2 just won’t do.

Level 3 is the place to be. Also known as DC fast-charging, Level 3 charging stations use direct current electricity to charge cars rapidly. For comparison, Level 2 chargers charge at an average rate of 7.6 kW, while DC fast chargers charge at a rate of about 150 kW. With that much juice, a Nissan Leaf’s battery can go from 20% to 80% in just 28 minutes when plugged into a Level 3 charger.

You can find an EV charging station near you by using apps such as

ChargeHub

PlugShare

. Charging stations can also be found situated along major highways, with more popping up every day.

If you’re looking to charge up in a hurry, DC fast chargers are your best bet. However, it should be noted that as batteries get closer to full, DC charge time begins to drag. So, while your Nissan Leaf battery may go from 20% to 80% in 28 minutes, it may take another half an hour for your battery to go from 80% to 100%.

If you’re in no rush, you might find Level 2 chargers to be the best option. You can plug your car in overnight while you sleep, and some public utilities even offer off-peak time discounts on electricity use.

If you’re charging up at a public charging station, you’ll get to see other electric vehicles hanging around, including new Leaf models and maybe the brand-new Nissan Ariya. Here’s a look at the range of some Nissan models.

Nissan vehicle	Range on full battery
2023 Nissan Ariya	304 miles
2022 Nissan Leaf	225 miles
2019 Nissan Leaf	150 miles
2011 Nissan Leaf	100 miles

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How to save on Nissan insurance costs

Charge times aren’t the only thing you have to worry about when you buy an electric vehicle. Finding cheap car insurance can be a challenge, too.

Car insurance for green vehicles

tends to be more pricey because EVs use expensive batteries and electronics, all of which are costly to repair and replace.

Here’s a tip: get the

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app. Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that can help you save money on your Nissan car insurance.

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But if you do need to talk to someone, we’re ready to help! That’s the kind of service that’s helped over two million customers save an average of $800+ a year on car insurance.