Nissan has announced its plan to introduce affordable on-board bi-directional charging on select electric vehicles starting in 2026. The initiative will initially be rolled out in the UK and subsequently in other European markets.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology enables EV owners to either power their homes using the electricity stored in their car’s battery or sell it back to the grid. This system could potentially halve the annual cost of powering an EV and reduce CO₂ emissions from charging by 30% per year for the average UK household.
Following a year-long project at The University of Nottingham, Nissan is the first car manufacturer to gain G99 Grid code certification with an AC-based solution in the UK, essential for feeding electricity into the national energy grid.
Hugues Desmarchelier, Nissan Vice President, Global Electrification Ecosystem & EV Programs, commented on the transformative potential of this technology, “The technology we are bringing to customers is a potential game-changer for how we view the car. Not just as a means of getting from A to B, but as a mobile energy storage unit, capable of saving people money, supporting the transition of our energy systems away from fossil fuels and bringing us closer to a carbon-free future.”
Nissan’s pledge to support V2G on new models comes at a key moment for the technology, which has seemingly come closer to prime time deployment more recently. That’s thanks to news such as myenergi developing a new V2G charger slated for a 2025 release, while Indra’s recent V2H trial, which saved a collective 100 MWh, showcased the practical benefits and potential for such technology.
Meanwhile, Nissan’s UK trial, partially funded by the UK Government’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), can also be seen as another key stepping stone in getting the technology ready for the wider market.
Ian Constance, Chief Executive of APC, noted, “This is a significant milestone for the collaborative research and development project, led by Nissan Technical Centre Europe and supported by the Department for Business and Trade through the APC. Investing in pioneering vehicle-to-grid technology and R&D in the UK is part of a system-level approach to decarbonisation.”
During the trial, Nissan collaborated with partners like Dreev and Enovates. Dreev, a joint venture between EDF and NUVVE, focused on data collection, customer profiling, and managing the charging and discharging plans.
Eric Mévellec, CEO of Dreev, noted the dual benefits of the technology, “We have been working alongside Nissan for years on this revolutionary technological adventure, and we are thrilled to be a part of this new chapter. We are convinced that, by reducing the electricity bill for the customers while providing huge storage capabilities for the electrical system, V2x technology has a major role to play in the energy transition.”
Enovates developed the wall box, or Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), which manages the flow of electricity. Bart Vereecke, CEO of Enovates, remarked on the project’s significance: “Enovates is proud to partner with Nissan in demonstrating through the Field Operating Test the real-world benefits of AC V2G technology. This test marks an important step in creating a sustainable, interconnected energy future where electric vehicles play a central role in sustainable mobility solutions and resolving energy grid congestions.”
Nissan says that the introduction of V2G technology on select new models is part of its broader ambition to transform the role of vehicles in energy management, marking a significant step towards a more integrated and sustainable energy future.