Nissan and NRG eVgo celebrate expanding the electric vehicle fast charging network in the greater Washington D.C. area with "Stuff a LEAF for the Holidays" Charity Drive

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nissan and NRG eVgo (ee-vee-go), a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., are celebrating the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in greater Washington D.C., and one local food bank will reap the benefits. "Stuff a LEAF for the Holidays" is a Thanksgiving charity food drive being held at the Macy's Court inside Dulles Town Center, which is home to one of the first three eVgo Freedom Station® sites in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080506/NISSANBADGELOGO)

Nissan and NRG eVgo have committed $10,000 to the Capital Area Food Bank as well as the contents of a 100% electric Nissan LEAF that is currently on display at the Dulles Town Center, being filled with canned and non-perishable goods. Representatives from both Nissan and eVgo will to present the donation to the Capital Area Food Bank at the Dulles Town Center, at 1:30 p.m. on November 16. Those interested in supporting the cause are encouraged to bring canned goods or non-perishable items and place it with the vehicle anytime from November 9-16.

eVgo Freedom Station sites, conveniently located along major roadways, offer electric car drivers DC fast charging and Level 2 charging. DC fast chargers can charge a Nissan LEAF to an 80% charge in less than 30 minutes. Level 2 chargers deliver range at a rate of 12 – 25 miles per hour. Most sites are available 24/7 and are positioned near retail stores as well as restaurants to provide the option to shop or eat while charging. An eVgo Freedom Station utilizes CHAdeMO, the most common fast charging technology for electric vehicles today. Freedom Station sites are also wired for the addition of a second DC charger to allow new technology to be quickly added to the station.

eVgo is building the first comprehensive fast charging network in the greater Washington area with fully operational Freedom Station sites at Dulles Town Center in Loudon County, in Arlington County, and in the District of Columbia at Van Ness. Two additional sites are currently under construction in Rockville, Md., and Towson, Md., and with sites under development across the Washington metropolitan area, the eVgo ecosystem will enable electric car owners in the nation's capital to drive with confidence in and around the Beltway.

"Adding EV charging infrastructure, particularly CHAdeMO-based fast charging, leads to more consumer interest – and more sales – for Nissan LEAF," said Brendan Jones, director of electric vehicle infrastructure strategy for Nissan. "Having the ability to charge in under 30 minutes at an NRG eVgo Freedom Station means more consumers in the Washington DC metro area can bypass the gas pump and enjoy the savings related to driving a Nissan LEAF."

"The NRG eVgo Freedom Station at Dulles Town Center gives electric car drivers freedom to drive further and at lower prices than gasoline cars," said Michael Krauthamer, NRG eVgo Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region. "With charging options at home, apartments or work combined with on-the-go charging, the eVgo network, inside and around the Beltway, will make it even easier to choose to drive an electric car in the D.C. area."

The "Stuff a LEAF for the Holidays" event will take place from 10 am to 2 pm in Dulles Town Center at Macy's Court and will include family-fun activities such as an opportunity to test drive a Nissan LEAF, a meet and greet with Redskins cheerleaders, face painting, balloon artists and more. There will be a raffle giveaway at 1:30 pm with prizes including two sets of Redskins tickets with a parking pass and Redskins memorabilia.            

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history. For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About NRG eVgo
The NRG eVgo ^SM network gives electric vehicle (EV) owners new freedom and range confidence via home and workplace charging docks, plus a network of fast charging stations conveniently located at retailers along major transportation corridors within eVgo cities. Service plans offered by eVgo can provide EV owners a home charger and unlimited use of eVgo's Freedom Station^® sites – all for one low monthly fee. eVgo is a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company at the forefront of changing how people think about, buy and use energy. Through eVgo, NRG will provide access to hundreds of public charging sites across California, Texas and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. To find out more, or to join the eVgo network, visit www.nrgevgo.com. Connect with eVgo on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nrgevgo.

About Dulles Town Center
Dulles Town Center is a 554-acre master planned commercial, retail and office park in Dulles, Virginia. Within the planned development, Dulles Town Center mall, developed by Lerner Enterprises and CIGNA, is a two-level regional shopping center totaling approximately 1.4 million square feet that includes Nordstrom, Macy's, Lord & Taylor, JCPenney, Sears, Dick's Sporting Goods, LA|Fitness, P. F. Chang's China Bistro, The Cheesecake Factory, Bare Escentuals, H&M, Banana Republic, Swarovski, Old Navy, Cache, Hollister, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Abercrombie & Fitch, in addition to 185 chic shops and over 40 dining options. The state of the art Regal Dulles Town Center Stadium 10 & RPX Theaters is planned to open in 2013. The mall is located at the intersection of Virginia Routes 7 and 28 in Dulles, Virginia, five miles from Washington Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County, Virginia. Loudoun County is consistently ranked as having the highest median household income in the country and being one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.

About Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Washington metropolitan area serving 500,000 people through direct food distribution programs and a network of 500 community partners. In 2012, the Capital Area Food Bank provided 45 million pounds of food to kids, seniors and families in Washington, DC; Maryland and Northern Virginia, of which 17.5 million pounds was fresh fruits and vegetables. The Capital Area Food Bank is a member of Feeding America. To learn more, visit: http://www.capitalareafoodbank.org, or find us on Facebook facebook.com/ CapitalAreaFoodBank, and Twitter at @foodbankmetrodc.

SOURCE Nissan