Japanese car manufacturer Nissan is trialling an a branded Nissan home battery storage scheme in the UK to push the uptake of electric vehicles.
Nissan UK is offering Nissan Energy Solar, which uses Nissan xStorage batteries for home storage.
After charging these through their solar power system, EV owners can then use them to fuel their vehicles.
The move to battery storage is part of a global phenomenon as the possibilities for using solar fuel beyond the home take off.
Nissan offers two EV models, the popular Leaf and the e-NV200. Australians will see a new model of the Leaf released later this year.
Nissan home battery: Car makers move into electric storage
The move by automakers into solar battery storage makes sense in a market focused on reducing carbon emissions.
In fact, the solar connection is an important selling point to customers looking to purchase an electric vehicle. That’s because an electric vehicle is only as green as the network that provides the power to charge it.
Tesla was the first electric vehicle maker to transition its technology for domestic storage. However, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi also produce home battery storage solutions based on their electric vehicle technology. These batteries are often recycled from electric vehicles.
Buzz builds on electric cars in Australia
The recent announcement by British industrialist Sanjay Gupta that he will build an EV plant in Australia, plus support from Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has raised the profile of EVs in the past fortnight.
Speaking to Fairfax media, Mr Frydenberg promised better co-ordination on EVs, including with the states. He said he supports research and development, charging infrastructure planning, vehicle fleet targets and financial incentives.
The Electric Vehicle Council of Australia welcomed the Minister’s comments. CEO Behyad Jafari said the industry is also working productively with governments across Australia to support the transition to electric vehicles.
“The Minister’s comments demonstrate a strong level of understanding of the size and scope of the benefits available to Australia from the global transition to electric vehicles,” he said.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the Minister on developing and delivering on the electric vehicle agenda in 2018.”
