A two-way fleet, so to speak…
Nissan said today that working with Fermata Energy* it approved the first bi-directional charger for use with the LEAF in the US. With Nissan’s approval and its UL 9741 certification for bi-directional charging systems, the Fermata Energy FE-15 charger is now verified to be compatible with the Nissan LEAF.
Usage of the approved charger will not impact the LEAF’s battery warranty. Moreover, in theory, it allows some business owners to use a Nissan LEAF to help reduce energy costs. Bi-directional charging technology means that it is possible to charge the LEAF and also send energy stored in the vehicle battery back to the building or the grid. This could save money with their local electric utility, as well as cut the total cost of ownership of the vehicle.
Claimed to be ideal for companies with fleet vehicles, the Fermata Energy Demand Charge Management application, along with the FE-15 charger, continuously monitors a building’s electrical loads, and may draw on the Nissan LEAF’s energy to provide power to the building during more expensive high-demand periods. In states with utility demand response programs, bi-directional-enabled Nissan LEAF vehicles (MY2013 and later) are able to send energy stored in the battery to the grid during peak energy demand times, such as in summer months. (AutoInformed on: PG&E and GM to Test EVs as Power Source when Grid Fails; Group Renault Starts Piloting Vehicle-to-Grid Charging)
**Fermata Energy is a vehicle-to-grid services provider. Interested customers can go to www.fermataenergy.com/fe15-sales for details on the Fermata Energy FE-15 charger today. A Fermata Energy spokesperson told AutoInformed, “Our V2X bidirectional charging platform is comparable in price to commercial, single-directional chargers.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Nissan OKs First Bi-Directional Charger for LEAF
A two-way fleet, so to speak…
Nissan said today that working with Fermata Energy* it approved the first bi-directional charger for use with the LEAF in the US. With Nissan’s approval and its UL 9741 certification for bi-directional charging systems, the Fermata Energy FE-15 charger is now verified to be compatible with the Nissan LEAF.
Usage of the approved charger will not impact the LEAF’s battery warranty. Moreover, in theory, it allows some business owners to use a Nissan LEAF to help reduce energy costs. Bi-directional charging technology means that it is possible to charge the LEAF and also send energy stored in the vehicle battery back to the building or the grid. This could save money with their local electric utility, as well as cut the total cost of ownership of the vehicle.
Claimed to be ideal for companies with fleet vehicles, the Fermata Energy Demand Charge Management application, along with the FE-15 charger, continuously monitors a building’s electrical loads, and may draw on the Nissan LEAF’s energy to provide power to the building during more expensive high-demand periods. In states with utility demand response programs, bi-directional-enabled Nissan LEAF vehicles (MY2013 and later) are able to send energy stored in the battery to the grid during peak energy demand times, such as in summer months. (AutoInformed on: PG&E and GM to Test EVs as Power Source when Grid Fails; Group Renault Starts Piloting Vehicle-to-Grid Charging)
**Fermata Energy is a vehicle-to-grid services provider. Interested customers can go to www.fermataenergy.com/fe15-sales for details on the Fermata Energy FE-15 charger today. A Fermata Energy spokesperson told AutoInformed, “Our V2X bidirectional charging platform is comparable in price to commercial, single-directional chargers.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.