14 DAY TRIAL // The fact that we are currently dealing with a lack of infrastructure needed to support the total needs of an electric car is not a novelty, so efforts are being made to mitigate this problem by all major related companies in the world.
So is the case with Japanese automaker Nissan and General Electric, who have recently signed an R&D partnership intended to accelerate mass market adoption of electric cars like the Nissan LEAF.
There will be two stages of this partnership involved in the process. Firstly, the two companies will try and integrate electric vehicles with homes and buildings. Secondly, the same will be done in respects to their connection to the power grids.
Several projects related to the two phases are already underway. For example, in one of these projects, researchers study how EVs can be integrated into GE’s Smart Home Concept.
This will help them see how the addition of an electric car impacts the cost of electricity and changes overall home electricity loads.
In another study, researchers will analyze the effect millions of electric cars could have on the electrical distribution system.
Nissan researchers are studying the use of two-way power flow between the vehicle and the home, via its CHAdeMO quick charging port, as a method to reduce the home's consumption from the grid during peak periods, or to use the vehicle for emergency backup power.
GE researchers have programs under way to understand how these systems, in tandem with the utility, could be used to meet vehicle charging needs without over-stressing the grid.
GE's work will be conducted primarily at its global research operations in Niskayuna, New York, where the latest electric transportation research and smart grid technology will facilitate research programs between the two companies.
Nissan Technical Center North America, located in Farmington Hills, Mich., will lead the automaker's efforts, including integration of vehicle-to-home charging technology, with support from the Nissan Advanced Technology Center in Japan