Nissan, working with Fermata Energy, a vehicle-to-grid services provider, has approved the first bi-directional charger for use with the Nissan Leaf in the U.S. The Fermata Energy FE-15 charger has passed key requirements from Nissan, and has been verified to be compatible with the Nissan Leaf. Usage of the approved charger will also not impact the Leaf's battery warranty.
In a press release, Nissan said:
"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 safely send energy stored in the battery to the grid during peak energy demand times, such as in summer months.
If you're interested in the FE-15 charger, contact the company through their website. However, Nissan is also working with another company called Dcbel to create a home-specific bidirectional charging solution.
Not to be outdone, other automakers have their own bidirectional charging solutions as well. Ford's Intelligent Backup Power feature is available for its all-electric F-150 Lightning truck. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6 V2L feature can make them great camping companions too.
Source: Nissan
