The advanced lithium-ion batteries that motivate the Nissan LEAF—still the only mainstream EV on the market—are so powerful that they retain up to 70 percent of their capacity even after 10 years on the road. That’s good for drivers, but creates another challenge for Nissan dealers MA and other Nissan dealers: What to do with the batteries when they’re retired from active automotive service? But a solution may be on its way, thanks to a new collaboration between Nissan North America and a team that includes ABB (a leading power and technology group), 4R Energy and the Sumitomo Corporation of America.
According to DFW Nissan, the partners are now working to develop a way to use post-automotive LEAF batteries as energy storage systems and backup power sources for residential and commercial energy customers. The reclaimed batteries would store energy from the nation’s power grid when customer demand was low, then put the power back into circulation, so to speak, when demand increased or if there were a power disruption. Nissan Dealership Tacoma said the first project involves creating a prototype storage unit with a capacity of at least 50 kWh; that represents two hours’ worth of energy for two typical American homes.
“It’s important to Nissan that we manage the complete lifecycle of the electric vehicle battery pack, even beyond its use in a Nissan car,” said Ken Srebnik, senior manager, NNA Corporate Planning. “Innovations in energy storage systems are becoming more viable as the electric grid gets smarter, and Nissan is proud to work with ABB, 4R Energy and Sumitomo to help bring these possibilities to market.”
