Nissan Leaf’s vehicle-to-grid technology reaches Australia

If the high price of electric cars has put buyers off, this new tech upgrade could flip the switch for Aussie motorists.

Technology that could change the future of electric cars has arrived in Australia.

Owners of the latest Nissan Leaf electric car will be able to use their car as a giant battery in coming months, following a trial in the ACT.

Nissan’s “vehicle-to-grid” feature allows customers to power homes using the car. It can keep the lights on during a blackout and fill the car’s 40kWh battery with cheap electricity during off-peak periods before pumping it back into the house storing energy for use during peak periods to save money.

The 2019 model Nissan Leaf has a real-world range of more than 240km from one charge.

The technology could prove vital to making cars a viable choice for Australians.

Publicly reported industry figures show just 0.3 per cent of new car buyers choose electric or plug-in hybrid cars. Those figures don’t include Tesla’s range of battery-powered machines, but they do point to the market’s reluctance to accept emerging technology.

Basic models such as the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric and electric Mini Cooper cost almost twice as much as regular hatchbacks while offering less driving range and long charging times.

EV charging infrastructure is rapidly improving.

Nissan’s Leaf has won little critical acclaim. Setting aside the brand’s ageing GT-R and 370Z sports cars, the Leaf is the least popular model in the Nissan range and a relatively rare sight on the road.

Priced at a little more than $50,000 drive-away, the Leaf isn’t cheap to purchase.

But no other electric car offers the ability to power your house or reduce power bills.

The Leaf’s cabin isn’t as luxurious as other $50,000 vehicles.

Nissan Australia managing director Stephen Lester says the Leaf “goes so much further by integrating into the energy system”

“With more people working from home currently, with a Nissan LEAF in the driveway, a household could significantly reduce their power bills by using their vehicle as a battery,” he says.

“And if they have solar panels, they can maximise their use of renewable energy, and still have an exciting zero-emissions car to drive.”

The ACT government will run 50 examples of the Leaf in a trial capacity, using their batteries to stabilise energy supply to the power grid.

Nissan says customers will be able to activate the vehicle-to-grid feature later this year.