Game-changing battery technology could help you save and even make money using your electric car: Nissan receives approval for Vehicle to Grid charging in the UK, but when will the technology come to Australia?

Nissan has announced plans to introduce a bi-directional charging system on select electric vehicles in Europe “and beyond” following a successful trial in the UK.

From 2026, Nissan’s Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology will allow Nissan owners to use electricity stored in their car’s battery to power their homes or sell excess power back to the grid.

Nissan claims the technology, which will first be launched in the UK and later rolled out through Europe, will cut the annual cost of running an EV by up to 50 per cent, while reducing household net emissions from charging an EV by up to 30 per cent each year.

The announcement comes following a year-long project at the University of Nottingham in the UK, and means Nissan is the first car company to gain G99 grid code certification in the UK, which is required to supply power to the grid.

The bi-directional charging system will work through an integrated on-board charger which Nissan says will be delivered at a price comparable to current mono-directional chargers.

Hugues Desmarchelier, Nissan Vice President, Global Electrification Ecosystem & EV Programs, said: “The technology we are bringing to customers is a potential game-changer for how we view the car.

"Not just as a means of getting from A to B, but as a mobile energy storage unit, capable of saving people money, supporting the transition of our energy systems away from fossil fuels and bringing us closer to a carbon-free future.”

It’s unclear exactly when the technology will be commercially certified and rolled out on a mass-scale in Australia.

A Nissan Australia spokesperson told Carsguide, “Roll-out timing, and what technology comes to which country, will be managed on a market-by-market basis, in alignment with local infrastructure and regulations.”

2022 Nissan Leaf

Nissan has already staged a number of successful trials of V2G technology in Australia.

The most notable example involved Ballycroft vineyard in the Barossa Valley, where winemaker Joseph Evans used his Nissan Leaf to sell power back to the grid under a South Australian Power Networks approved pilot scheme.

In conjunction with other renewable power sources, Evans reduced his power bill from $6000 annually to generating $2500 annually in profit with the help of his car.

Alliance partner Mitsubishi has also been experimenting with bi-directional charging at its Australian head-office using Outlander and Eclipse plug-in hybrid models.

The V2G technology will launch overseas on an updated version of the fully-electric Ariya mid-sized SUV in 2026, following the discontinuation of the Nissan Leaf earlier this year.

Nissan Australia have confirmed the Ariya is set for an Australian release next year following lengthy delays caused by supply and Australian Design Rule compliance issues.