IN A FIRST for the brand, Nissan today announced the launch of a new event series in Europe designed to push the future of mobility debate beyond the automotive industry.
Following the launch of its Intelligent Mobility vision at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, ‘Nissan Futures’ reaffirms Nissan’s commitment to a future that is less congested and more connected, inspiring people and businesses to adopt a ‘smarter’ way of living.
Pursuing a goal of zero emission vehicles and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan’s ‘Intelligent Mobility’ vision is designed to guide Nissan’s product and technology pipeline, anchoring critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. ‘Nissan Futures’ tackles these topics head-on, giving Nissan and its partners a platform to extend the future of mobility debate.
With a series of announcements, inspiring talks and demos, the event brings together industry leaders, media, partners and stakeholders for a thought-provoking discussion designed to inspire an Intelligent Mobility revolution.
Hosted by Nissan’s European Chairman Paul Willcox, the first event is taking place in central London and features talks from guest speakers including National Grid CEO, Steven Holliday as well as speakers from technology start-ups, Pavegen and Chargifi.
At the event, Nissan will unveil a series of breakthrough announcements concerning electric vehicles and next generation battery technology. They include:
- A major vehicle-to-grid trial in the UK in partnership with energy provider Enel that will see Nissan electric vehicles supplying the UK’s National Grid with an efficient and flexible source of energy. A trial of 100 vehicle-to-grid units will commence in the UK later this year. It will enable Nissan electric vehicle owners to give energy from their vehicle’s battery back to the UK grid, providing a cost effective, sustainable and reliable source of power, while helping consumers save and make money.
- A revolutionary new residential energy storage system called xStorage developed alongside Eaton, the global leaders in power management. The system will not only give Nissan electric vehicle batteries a ‘second life’, but will also provide customers with a fully integrated energy storage solution that will put energy management and distribution back in the hands of the consumer.
- Confirmation that Nissan will integrate V2G technology and energy storage solutions into all of its major European offices by the end of 2017. Further details will be announced in the coming months.
Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe said: “The creation of the ‘Nissan Futures’ series was borne out of Nissan’s deep desire to create a safer and more sustainable future for everyone. It’s no longer enough for automakers to work in a silo. The challenges of tomorrow require solutions that transcend single industries or companies. That’s why we’re partnering with like-minded businesses from other sectors to deliver new solutions that support a more sustainable future.”
The inaugural Nissan Futures event follows the recent launch of Nissan’s Intelligent Motoring Advisory Board, which brings together a cross-section of industry leaders to tackle one of the fundamental issues of our age – the future of mobility and ‘smarter,’ cleaner living. Led by the Head of Electric Vehicles for Nissan in Europe, Gareth Dunsmore, and made up of twelve members from across Europe, the Advisory Board will convene twice a year as part of an on-going partnership and programme of activity.
