Nissan has announced that its UK-based European R&D facility, Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE), has become the first entity in the company’s network of European facilities to install vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology.
Developed by Nissan in partnership with multinational energy provider Enel, eight V2G chargers have been installed at the site in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and will be available for all NTCE employees to use. The V2G chargers work with Nissan’s electric vehicles (EVs) to provide an intelligent energy management system, capable of both charging the vehicles and allowing the cars to give stored energy from the vehicle’s battery back to the grid, in order to help stabilize demand. The news follows an announcement in August that Nissan and Enel had secured their first commercial V2G customer in Europe. Enel has installed 10 V2G units at the headquarters of Danish utility company, Frederiksberg Forsyning, making it the first business to commercially integrate and host the V2G units.
The move marks an important step in the company’s plans to make its Intelligent Mobility vision a reality in Europe. The integration of V2G technology brings to life the company’s Intelligent Mobility initiative, demonstrating how zero-emission vehicles, such as the 100% electric Nissan Leaf car and e-NV200 van, and energy management technologies can work in tandem to create a cleaner, more efficient energy network. The installation at the Cranfield site is part of the auto maker’s commitment to roll out V2G technology and energy storage solutions at all its major facilities in Europe, which includes the European Design Center in London, sales and marketing headquarters in Rickmansworth, and a manufacturing plant in Sunderland in the UK, as well as operations in France, Switzerland, Spain and Russia.
“The installation of the V2G chargers at NTCE is a significant moment for us. It gives us the opportunity to showcase to the world how the energy management systems we are developing can work in a real-life business situation,” said David Moss, vice president of vehicle design and development at the NTCE.
“Integrating it into our own facilities demonstrates the confidence we have in the technology, and our steadfast belief that our electric vehicles can play a pivotal role in developing an ecosystem of technologies that work seamlessly together to create sustainable and efficient solutions for the future.”
Francisco Carranza, director of energy services at Nissan Europe, said, “Nissan has always been at the forefront of EV technology development and we’re excited to be using our expertise to help change the way people consume energy. Through the integration of Nissan EVs we can help shape a society whose energy use is sustainable, efficient, and affordable. It could change the rules of the game and make energy cheaper for everyone.”
