Pilot program examines whether EVs can lower utility costs

A new pilot program, launching under the Nissan Energy Share initiative, will research whether the energy stored in electric vehicles (EVs) can help companies save on electric utility costs.

The program will partially power Nissan’s North American headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., and Nissan’s design center in San Diego, Calif., with bi-directional EV-charging technology.

Bi-directional charging technology charges an EV while also partially powering external electrical loads, such as buildings and homes while pulling energy stored in the EV’s battery.

“As the only vehicle on the market utilizing bi-directional charging, the Nissan LEAF proves exceptionally useful while on the road and also while parked,” Brian Maragno, Nissan North America’s director of EV Sales and Marketing, said. “As a pioneer in the EV space, we’re thrilled to continue to show new, meaningful technologies that leverage the LEAF’s growing capabilities.”

Nissan North America is partnering with Fermata Energy, a vehicle-to-grid systems company, for the program.

The program will use Nissan LEAFs and will test the technology and whether the technology can be commercially viable.

Under Nissan Energy, the company’s global plan, Nissan EV owners would be able to connect their cars to energy systems to charge the car’s batteries, power buildings or feed energy back to power grids.