Endesa and Nissan have announced an agreement to give renewed impetus to electric mobility in Europe. The two companies have joined forces to launch onto the European market a commercially viable system of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure which allows a bidirectional power flow (V2G, Vehicle to Grid).
V2G technology allows for an electric vehicle to be charged and used for its primary automotive purpose; while also offering consumers the flexibility to supply energy to their homes or even sell the unused energy onto the grid system (in countries where such a mechanism exists). Endesa and Nissan’s joint announcement paves the way for the two companies to work together so that today’s technological reality can become a commercial reality.
The proposal for cooperation is on a bidirectional charger from Endesa that may be activated in situ or from an external energy management system. An addition benefit of this system is the integration of energy generation not connected to the grid, such as solar panels and wind turbines, in countries where the appropriate regulation is in place. Thanks to this system, a 100% electric model, such as Nissan LEAF or e-NV200, or another model compatible with version 2.0 of CHAdeMO (Quick Charging Of Electric Vehicles) can be charged in low-demand periods, benefitting from cheaper electricity tariffs. The option then exists to use the energy stored in the vehicle battery at home when electricity costs from the grid are higher, or alternatively to feed the energy back to the grid (in countries where regulations allow it).
Considering that electric vehicles have a capacity ranging from 10 to 100 kWh and spend more than 90% of their lives parked, systems such as V2G could play a significant role in the transformation of energy systems.
The agreement represents a major step forward for the development of smart cities, which need tools to optimize production and distribution, better balancing supply and demand between manufacturers and consumers.
This agreement, which was signed at the Geneva International Motor Show, includes other joint action areas:
1. Study of the possible re-use of electric vehicle batteries (second useful life) so that, once their function in an electric vehicle ends, they can continue to be used for less intensive purposes before they are recycled –for instance, energy storage.
2. Design and evaluation of innovative offerings of electric energy and mobility packages both for the residential segment (B2C) and for companies (B2B).
Symbiosis between people, vehicles and nature: this is how Nissan defines its environmental philosophy, based on promoting sustainable mobility and electric vehicles. Nissan works pro-actively to face environmental challenges and contribute to reduce the emissions from its vehicles and its corporate activity.