NISSAN has today delivered further evidence that its leadership towards an electric ecosystem goes far beyond vehicles such as the “Simply Amazing” new LEAF.
The brand has announced a strategic partnership with leading energy company E.ON, already collaborating with Nissan in Denmark. Under the new initiative Nissan and E.ON will explore opportunities on pilot activities and commercial offers related to vehicle-to-grid services, renewable energy generation and storage solutions, as well as grid integration for Nissan electric vehicle customers.
Further supporting the acceleration of electrification, both companies intend to expand the program to other European countries in the near future.
The project – one of several in which Nissan is partnering with some of Europe’s most innovative energy companies – is delivering on Nissan’s commitment to develop a comprehensive electric ecosystem for both consumers and business.
At its heart is Nissan’s goal of a more integrated society, with offices, schools, homes, roads and vehicles fully interconnected. All would be powered by clean and sustainable energy.
Nissan uses its Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology to achieve this. It’s a key element of Intelligent Integration – one of the three central pillars of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision.
Paul Willcox, chairman of Nissan Europe, commented: “We’re on a mission to break down every barrier to EV ownership. This exciting partnership with E.ON is another step on that journey. Our goal is for Nissan to be recognised as the go-to automotive partner for energy services, with the ultimate ambition to provide free electricity for our EV customers.”
Dr Karsten Wildberger, chief operating officer of E.ON, commented: “The partnership between Nissan and E.ON is
driven by the common spirit of offering customers even more comfort and service. We are also speeding up the development of electric mobility in the world of tomorrow through ambitious initiatives.”
The partnership with E.ON will utilise a V2G infrastructure and Nissan’s advanced bi-directional charging technology. It will allow customers to draw energy from the electricity grid to power their electric vehicle. They can also ‘sell’ that energy back to the grid for others to use.
This could represent no fuel costs for the customer – just free power for their EV.
Nissan has developed a number of innovative projects to deliver advanced energy solutions. These include Nissan Energy Solar, announced in the UK in January. Traditionally, solar energy has been used to power home appliances during the day but has lacked energy storage capability.
Households signed up for Nissan Energy Solar can collect and store excess energy from their solar panels and use it during the night to charge their Nissan EV. The result is fully renewable, low-cost energy for customers.
In France, Nissan and its new energy partner OKWind have launched a new energy storage solution for businesses.
It’s adapted specifically to rural areas. Today, OKWind’s solar system is cutting the cost of electricity by 40%. However, when combined with an energy storage system for business, it will allow farmers to use green energy and be self-sufficient for up to 75% of their needs. This will expand further in France and into other markets.
In the UK, Nissan is supporting two large-scale V2G projects for private and fleet customers. They are co-funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), in partnership with Innovate UK.
The project will see 2,000 V2G units installed to create a cleaner and more efficient national energy network.