Smart Grid (2): Nissan/Mitsubishi developing dischargeable EVs

Plan to use batteries recycled from EVs as stationary storage devices in homes and elsewhere

2011/05/12

Summary
Nissan: Developing technologies to use EV as an electric supplier
Mitsubishi Motors: Developing dischargeable EVs and technologies for secondary use of EV batteries
Honda: Demonstration Program under way in Japan and the US using EVs and PHEVs
Itochu Corporation: Building a new business model in Japan and the US for secondary use of lithium-ion batteries
Steady progress in charging infrastructure and car sharing system constructions

Summary

Having an electric storage capacity in workplaces and homes is an important step in building a smart grid. This is why a number of attempts are being made such as building homes with storage capacity and draining electricity from batteries on EVs and PHEVs and using them as storage batteries for home use (referred to as "dischargeable EVs" or "V2H (Vehicle to Home)" in this report.

The previous report "Smart Grid (1)" of April 14 reported plans by Toyota Group's homebuilding companies to provide homes with electric storage capacities and the demonstration experiments being conducted in the city of Toyota since 2010 focusing on the verification of "V2H" by Toyota to use the storage batteries in EVs and PHEVs as the electric suppliers.

This report, Smart Grid (2), contains reports on the "dischargeable EVs" being pursued by Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and their plans to construct related systems.

It is known that the lithium-ion batteries, after being removed from EVs, can be reused as stationary storage batteries in homes and elsewhere with the likely result of lowering the initial battery cost affecting the EV sales. This possibility is being studied by Nissan and Sumitomo Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors, Itochu Corporation and other companies.

Also reported here are special efforts being made to build systems that include charging systems and car sharing systems that will encourage market penetration of EVs and PHEVs.

Honda began a demonstration program in December 2010 in Japan and the US with the Fit EV and the Inspire-based PHEV.

Plans to install storage capacities in homes (including secondary use of batteries for EVs)

Homes with storage capacities	Toyota group	Toyota Home, one of the Toyota group companies, will have homes having storage capacities and HEMS (Home Energy Management System) ready for commercial application in 2011. Misawa Home (27.8% controlled by Toyota Home) has similar plans.
Homes with storage capacities	Homebuilders	Other homebuilders also have plans to introduce homes with storage capacities expecting the popular use of EVs and PHEVs.
Discharging electricity from EV batteries for home use (dischargeable EVs)	Toyota	Verifying V2H technologies in the demonstration experiment started in the city of Toyota in 2010
	Nissan	Developing dischargeable EVs in the demonstration experiment started in the city of Yokohama in 2010
	Nissan	Developing efficient charging and discharging technologies of the EV batteries conducted jointly with GE since April 2010
	Mitsubishi Motors	Developing V2H-ready EV technologies in the Keihanna Project that started in Kyoto Prefecture in 2010
	Mitsubishi Motors	Demonstration experiments started in December 2010 using EV batteries and reused batteries. Developing a system for using batteries as a power source without placing a burden on the vehicle.
	Sharp	Developing a conditioner for using EV batteries as storage batteries for home use
Secondary use of EV lithium-ion batteries	Nissan	Demonstrating reuse of EV batteries in demonstration experiments that started in the city of Kitakyushu in 2010
	Nissan	A new company was established in September 2010 jointly with Sumitomo Corporation to study the feasibility of secondary use of EV batteries as a business.
	Mitsubishi Motors	Demonstration experiments started in January 2011 in the city of Kyoto regarding the secondary use of EV batteries
	Itochu	Demonstration experiments started in May 2010 jointly with the city of Tsukuba aimed at building a business model of the secondary use of EV batteries
	Itochu	Plans started in November 2010 in partnership with a local electric power company in the state of Indiana of the US regarding the demonstration of secondary use in stationary application of batteries recycled from EVs

(Notes) 1.	Certain partnerships in joint activities are omitted from the above chart.
2.	See MarkLines report "Smart Grid (1)" of April 14 about plans being pursued by Toyota and homebuilding companies.
3.	"Dischargeable EV", "chargeable and dischargeable EV" and "V2H (Vehicle to Home)" are used to describe the EV driving batteries, or the EVs themselves, that are capable of storing and discharging electricity as needed.