Anyone who owns a Nissan Leaf will be able to make a bit of cash on the side by selling unused electricity from the car’s battery.
The plan – which will see buyers sell their spare energy to the national grid – was announced earlier this week by Italian power company Enel and Nissan, who will install V2G units in future Leaf’s.
The plan is not dissimilar to the one Tesla has with its power wall battery.
Nissan Europe said in a statement: “We see Nissan electric vehicles as being the mobile energy hubs of the future, pioneering a self-sustaining energy infrastructure that will help solve the capacity issues of the future.
“Smart energy management is one of the biggest challenges any nation faces for the future, which is why this trial is so critical in assessing the feasibility of using variable, more flexible energy sources.”
Chance To Make A “Profit” From Your EV
Nissans plan will not be similar to siphoning fuel from your tank. Unlike petrol and diesel, electricity prices change constantly during the day.
Lots of electric vehicles allow the opportunity to charge during off-peak times, such as at night when the rates are lower.
Owners of Nissan Leaf’s will soon be able to then sell the electricity back to the national grid for a profit.
Enel, who are working with Nissan on this, said in a statement: “The installation of our innovative two-way charging technology will encourage the integration of non-programmable renewable energy flow into the grid and will help the spread of electric mobility in the country, benefiting the energy sector and the environment, while also behaving in a positive impact on electric owners wallets.”
The idea has been mooted by other companies before, but this is the first time it has ever been trailed with a mainstream EV.
Will Titterington
He believes that words can take on a transformative aspect and wants to help people make better decisions today.
His influences as a writer include Hunter S Thompson and Jack Kerouac, while among his interests outside writing are music, art, foreign films and football.
He’d one day like to own a Tesla, and still holds a candle for the Ford Capri.
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