Nissan to create electric vehicle ‘ecosystem’

Nissan has created a vision to make electric vehicles even more useful to customers by introducing new convenient ways to utilize their batteries' ability to store and share energy. Under the plan, called Nissan Energy, owners of Nissan's electric vehicles will be able to easily connect their cars with energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses or feed energy back to power grids. The company will also develop new ways to reuse electric car batteries. Nissan has already begun programs in the U.S., Japan and Europe aimed at creating an "ecosystem" around its range of electric vehicles, including the Nissan LEAF, the world's best-selling electric car. Nissan Energy brings these initiatives together as part of the company's Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy. "Nissan Energy will enable our customers to use their electric cars for much more than just driving – now they can be used in nearly every aspect of the customer's lives," said executive vice president Daniele Schillaci, Nissan's global head of marketing, sales and electric vehicles. "Our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision calls for changing how cars are integrated with society, and Nissan Energy turns that vision into reality." Nissan Energy will establish new standards for connecting vehicles to energy systems through three key initiatives: Nissan Energy Supply, Nissan Energy Share and Nissan Energy Storage. High-profile Nissan Energy initiatives extend to a variety of locations, including Nissan's North American headquarters: • Franklin, Tennessee: Nissan North America will be piloting the use of LEAF vehicles to assist in powering its headquarters facilities during peak electrical demand times, anticipating significant cost savings • Hagen, Germany: LEAF vehicles will be used as a reserve for the German electricity grid, in an innovative pilot project involving Nissan, technology company The Mobility House, energy supplier ENERVIE and transmission system operator Amprion • Japan: Nissan is working with partners such as electric and telecom companies, conducting field tests of vehicle-to-grid and virtual power plant systems to confirm and promote opportunities for electric vehicles to assist with managing energy Click here for full article.