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Electric Nation smart charging project: V2G looking for beta testers

The numbers of electric vehicles are set to increase. Charging these rising numbers of EVs will have an impact on local electricity networks. Smart charging, as trialled by the original Electric Nation project, will help to move demand away from peak times. However vehicle to grid charging offers a lot more than just smart charging: it offers the ability for potentially millions of EVs to smart charge using renewable energy and act as battery storage facilities, and then put energy back into the grid if needed. This means that rather than EVs being seen as a problem in relation to grid capacity, they can be an important solution to help balance the grid.

If EV owners have solar panels at home then their cars could be charged from the sun, and spare renewable energy could be put back into the grid at peak times, which would mean that the grid uses less fossil fuel generation.

For these reasons, V2G is a great concept, but it hasn’t yet been trialled sufficiently on Britain’s electricity networks to enable it to be rolled out on a country-wide basis – hence the need for this trial.

The Electric Nation Smart Charging project v the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project

The original Electric Nation smart charging project was scoped in 2015/16. Since then the number of plug-in vehicles on UK roads has increased nearly five-fold and will shortly pass 250,000 – and this is at a time when we are also about to see a significant rise in a wide range of low carbon technologies deployed, as the UK moves towards Net Zero.

The aims of the project

1. To explore and report on the impact of V2G charging on the low voltage (LV) electricity network, utilising end-user trial charging data and analysis.
2. To demonstrate, via modelling, to what extent V2G can assist with management of LV network demand.
3. To examine how sophisticated dynamic bi-directional energy services based on vehicle battery storage, from a variety of energy suppliers, may impact the LV infrastructure.
4. Provide recommendations of policy and commercial frameworks on V2G services.

Why the project is innovative

This project will study the real-world effects of V2G charging and look to provide a smart solution to provide management. V2G is due to become a common feature on many more vehicles with the announcement that CCS charging protocol is aiming to offer this in 2025 (CHAdeMO charging protocol does this now) along with the UK’s leading work in this field accelerating the business case for many energy suppliers.

A considerable amount of research is being carried out in the area of V2G, however this is generally supplier or charger company-led and does not focus on the likely real-world situation for a DNO should many EV users utilise this technology. In contrast, the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project includes multiple trading stack providers to reflect that when V2G is ‘business as usual’, multiple energy supply strategies will be in play in any given part of the LV network.

The project will operate up to five different energy supplier strategies simultaneously using V2G to imitate a future world in which many streets have a number of EVs charging in this way, operated by different energy suppliers. CrowdCharge would also look to add in smart charging data to the modelling to explore the effect of a mix of V1G and V2G. Further demand management will be trialled across the whole system to explore how much intervention is required to keep within the limitations of the low voltage network.

Scale of the project

The project will engage and recruit between 90-110 participants to install V2G charging and control equipment in domestic properties across WPD’s four licence areas. The chargers will be split into various groups of similar size and assigned to the project’s energy suppliers (up to five). Each supplier will then use their group of chargers to test their various energy services utilising CrowdCharge’s demand management charger platform which provides optimised charging sessions. The effect of these services on the LV network will be modelled and reported on, including using this real-world V2G data in a network assessment tool.

The scale size of 90-110 chargers is large enough to provide a real-world data set of the effect on the LV network and subsequently a more holistic view of the impact of V2G on the LV network in varying locations across WPD’s licence areas. A smaller sample size is unlikely to include a sufficient range of charging/driving habits of the public, thus decreasing the learning potential. As V2G is only suitable for 2-3 vehicle models, the sample size can be smaller than the Electric Nation smart charging trial from a technical standpoint.

Geographical area

The project will take place across the whole of WPD’s four licence areas (West Midlands, East Midlands, South West and South Wales).

About V2G

V2G is fundamentally different in nature to smart charging because energy can be cycled, whereas smart charging is limited to the amount of energy consumed by the EV, i.e. around 7-10KWh for a typical 28 mile a day vehicle. A vehicle charged with V2G could cycle up to 84KWh of energy in and out of the vehicle in more complex patterns trying to react to signals from the market actors. The strategies for using these services could vary significantly but also coincide, leading to unexpected peaks that could be more difficult to forecast. With the export feature this could lead to high voltage events should a national call for more energy coincide with low local load.

Electric Nation has shown that time of use tariffs may shift the evening peak and create a new peak later in the evening, leading to a need for management. Also, this would make it difficult to separate the shift in demand due to tariff or the call for Distribution Systems Operator (DSO) service – the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project will test a more integrated approach.

Also, when looking at the proposed services these are fairly simplistic, and they mirror how National Grid calls for flexibility – at the ends of the network with low diversity this approach is not likely to provide a complete solution. The Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project will look to test alternative approaches with the DSO taking control only when energy supplier trading encroaches safe limits for the network.

The business case for the project

As electric vehicle numbers increase (by 2030 it is estimated that around 25% of households will have a plug-in vehicle) it is anticipated that around 5,601 substations will be running at between 100-110% capacity by 2030 at a potential reinforcement cost of around £84 million.

To maintain safe network limits, it is expected that 20% of the EV chargers would be contracted by the DSO to provide V2G balancing. This would cost £3.8 million per year, instead of an £84 million one-off reinforcement investment.

Forecasting precise impacts presents a challenge with so many changing parameters (e.g. varying uptake of EVs, domestic batteries, heat pumps, solar PV). The CrowdCharge smart service has many potential advantages:

• It offers huge flexibility. Compared to traditional reinforcement, it can be activated at shorter notice – and can be targeted very precisely. The number of chargers under control can be increased (or reduced) depending on how demand patterns evolve for each part of the network
• It will help to defer (or in some cases avoid entirely) significant amounts of reinforcement
• The solution can respond to new technology, for example can equally be applied via the same platform to utilise static domestic batteries, should they offer equivalent capacity by 2030
• The platform data will provide a broader insight to network activity, informing other network activities (for example it may support voltage monitoring)
• The £84 million estimate for traditional reinforcement assumes a planned replacement, however due to the highly distributed and unpredictable nature of EV growth (alongside equally unpredictable LCT uptake) it may require a significant percentage of emergency reinforcement as limits are breached earlier than forecasted, and therefore costs could rise significantly. In addition, emergency repairs cause greater customer impacts.

Learn more abour V2G project

What is the duration of the project?

The project started in January 2020 and will conclude in July 2022, with a one year customer trial period starting in March 2021 until March 2022.

Recruitment starts June 2020, and charger installations will start from Autumn 2020.

Who is this aimed at?

Simple if you…

• Drive a Nissan EV with a battery capacity of 30kWh or more
• Live in the Midlands, South West or South Wales

then you could be eligible to trial a domestic Vehicle to Grid (V2G) smart EV charger worth £5,500.

By plugging in at specified times and putting energy back into the grid you could be rewarded, and the charger can be kept at the end of the trial for just £250.

Lear more or enrol at Electric Nation V2G site:

Nissan plans move to PHEV and kills Diesels

Nissan sales in Europe are hurting with revenue down 25% in 2019. In the first 10 months of the year Nissan sold 334,500 cars in the EU.

To flip the chart back into growth Nissan plan to replace every model in its SUV range in Europe within the next 18 months and launch new models.

The electric SUV previewed by the Ariya concept at the Tokyo auto show in November should arrive late 2020 or early 2021.

The car uses a platform shared with partner Renault and will sit at the premium end of the SUV market.

Nissan relies on SUVs such the compact Qashqai, small Juke and midsize X-trail for most of its volume in Europe but the aging range has contributed to falling demand for the brand that is mianly Diesel powered.

Nissan started the European rollout of its latest generation Juke last month. The SUV  replaces the model first unveiled in 2010. It is underpinned by the same platform used by alliance partner Renault for the Clio small car and Captur small SUV. Nissan is dropping the Juke’s diesel engine due to falling demand for the powertrain.

Nissan will unveil the new Qashqai in September, 2020. The Qashqai is Nissan’s best-seller in Europe, with 183,896 sold in the first 10 months, down 11 % for the year. Nissan will drop diesel versions of the next Qashqai and introduce its E-power hybrid technology that has been a big success for the brand in Japan.

Both the X-trail and Qashqai are expected to be offered with alliance partner Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid system used in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Nissan took a controlling stake in Mitsubishi in 2017 when then CEO Carlos Ghosn managed the group with a strategic view.

In 2018, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was the best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle in Europe across all segments for the fourth consecutive year.

This year it’s being challenged by the new BMW 330e Plug In.

The four new models mean Nissan would have one of the youngest passenger car lineups of any brand in Europe. The company replaced the Micra small car in 2017 and Leaf EV in 2018.

Leaf Update

In Japan, Nissan announced today that it will push a package of tech improvements to the Leaf.

None of the Leaf’s tech improvements are ground-shaking. The navigation system will allow drivers to set a destination and see all available electric-car charging stations along the way. Driver-assist features will now include blind-spot detection and faster automated parking. The Leaf’s enhanced mobile-app connectivity feature will improve status updates like vehicle location and allow remotely locking/unlocking the car. And it will allow you to see vehicle speed and location when somebody else is driving your Leaf.

Using a Type 2 to Type 1 adaptor with a Tesla Wall Charger

We have a considerable number of clients who drive a Tesla and have subsequently purchased another pure EV more often than not a Nissan LEAF as a second EV.

With an existing Tesla charger the question we are often asked is how to charge a LEAF with a Type 1 connection from the Type 2 Tesla Wall charger.

T2 – T1 Adaptor

The Type 2 – Type 1 adaptor or converter enables you to charge a Type 1 car like the LEAF version 1 or the Outlander from any single phase Type 2 outlet.

However there are a few points to understand with the Tesla chargers and we have spoken to many different residential and commercial customers about their Tesla charger setup.

These are the key points to bear in mind.

For newer Tesla wall chargers that are bought for domestic purposes, when the wall charger is plugged in, it uses SWCAN to communicate with Teslas (the Leaf does not use this, it uses J1772 signalling). After 30 seconds of being plugged in without any communication via SWCAN the Tesla wall charger will revert to “Legacy” J1772 signalling. Then the LEAF will respond. – So wait 30 seconds for a sign.

For some Tesla charges – specifically those bought as “Tesla only destination chargers” – the switching does not happen automatically as it requires a configuration change.

A Dip Switch needs to be changed in the charger. The manual for the domestic chargers documents this switch as “Switch Position 2: DIP Switch Position 2 should always be in the UP position.” – where the UP position is “Normal (SWCAN) Communication”. On the inside of the wall charger there is a sticker which says “Dip Switch 2 | Function: Communication | Up (ON): Normal | Down (OFF): Legacy* | * Contact Tesla before using this setting”.

The “DOWN” setting will force the wall charger to only use J1772 signalling, and it will not use SWCAN. Tesla vehicles can communicate in J1772 protocol, so with the position set to DOWN both Leaf and Tesla will charge.

It is January – time for a new LEAF from Nissan

It is January – time for a new Nissan LEAF

Nissan sells a new LEAF every 10 mins with over 100,000 in Europe

News from Nissan today as they announce the are celebrating the 100,000^th delivery of the LEAF car this month in Europe.

Globally, over 320,000 Nissan LEAF have been sold, making it the most sold EV in the world.

Susana de Mena, of Madrid, milestone buyer of the 100,000th LEAF said, “I’ve spent two years trying to find an electric car. I knew it would be a Nissan!

“When I saw there was a brand-new model of the LEAF, there were no doubts in my mind it would be the perfect fit. My husband and I agreed that the quality, price and specification made it second-to-none.

We are very conscious that we must respect and protect the environment, so we knew we’d want to go 100% electric. On top of this, an electric car lets us get to the very centre of Madrid when ordinary vehicles can sometimes be restricted due to pollution issues.

Combining sales of the new Nissan LEAF and previous LEAF models, the 100,000 customers across Europe have helped propel the Nissan LEAF to the position of best-selling EV in the world.

With now more than 37,000 new LEAF ordered in Europe, one new Nissan LEAF is sold every 10 minutes in Europe to customers looking to switch to innovative and zero-emission technology.

The new Nissan LEAF is the first Nissan model in Europe to feature Nissan’s ProPILOT and ProPILOT Park technologies. The new Nissan LEAF is also equipped with e-Pedal, which allows drivers to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop – simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure applied to the pedal.

Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director, Nissan Europe, explained, “For us it’s no surprise that the Nissan LEAF is the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. We have been developing our electric vehicle mass-market offering for longer than any other brand and are proud to bring an affordable, visionary car to customers across Europe. In less than 10 years, we managed to make electric vehicle a mass market reality. This milestone proves once again that our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision is embraced by our customers who believe in a more confident, more exciting, and more connected future.”

European Nissan LEAF customers have now driven over 2 billion kilometres and saved over 300,000 tonnes of CO2. They also boast a 92% customer satisfaction rate – more than any other Nissan model.

Much more than just a 100% electric vehicle, the LEAF is a whole new driving experience, designed to move people with greater exhilaration, confidence and connection to the world around them. The LEAF is the embodiment of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, helping to pioneer a future which brings together intelligent power, intelligent drive and intelligent integration.

Nissan launch surfing ambassador Margot Robbie as new face of the LEAF EV

Academy-award nominated actress Margot Robbie pulls on a wetsuit and uses her love of surfing to inspire people to live more sustainable lives in her latest film for Nissan.

As Nissan’s Electric Vehicle and Sustainability Ambassador, the actress, producer and businesswoman has composed an open letter to encourage people to make more sustainable energy choices.

Margot, who performed the surfing sequence herself, is seen enjoying the early morning waves as she talks of creating a “better world for ourselves and everyone who comes after us”.

With off-shore wind farms and solar panels currently accounting for two-thirds of new power added to the world’s grid in 2016, according to International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Renewables 2017 report.  Margot explains that

“we all have the power to make a change.”

Talking about the film, Margot said: “I hope I can play a small role in inspiring people across the globe to explore alternative forms of energy and make the switch to drive a better future for everyone. The point is, we can all make a difference and we don’t need to wait for others to do it for us.”

Watch the film:

Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director, Nissan Europe said:

“Nissan is committed to pioneering a future which empowers consumers to make the right choices in how they use and store energy.

“Our LEAF and e-NV200 models are not only cleaner drives, they become mobile energy units too – the used batteries from these vehicles are put to good use as part of our xStorage energy storage solution which provides power to homes and even football stadiums across the world.”

Margot recently helped Nissan unveil its new Formula E car to a VIP crowd at an event in Los Angeles, to celebrate an exciting era for Nissan as it prepares to enter the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in the 2018/19 season. The move will benefit all drivers – as Nissan has committed to taking lessons learned on the track into future commercial Electric Vehicle development.

Nissan’s global Electric Vehicle sales jumped 28% last fiscal year, when LEAF confirms its position of world’s best-selling Electric Vehicle. Nissan has sold more than 320,000 LEAFs since the model was first introduced in 2010.

Model shown includes not standard surfer bars and Malibu beach and CA sunshine. Your UK mileage may be different.

New Nissan LEAF scores 5-star safety rating in NCAP crash test

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) awarded the new Nissan LEAF with a 5-star rating. (See full tests results here)

The LEAF is the first car to be assessed against Euro NCAP’s improved and extended protocols for 2018.  The 2018 protocol sees the introduction of a raft of new tests which address key crash scenarios involving cars, pedestrians and now also the growing number of cyclists.

In these Euro NCAP tests, the LEAF earned a 93 per cent rating for adult safety and an 86 per cent rating for child protection. The safety rating is determined from a series of vehicle tests that, in a simplified way, reflect important real-life accident scenarios that could result in injuries.

New LEAF 5-star rating reflects the advanced driver assistance systems packaged on the car. Technologies such as camera and radar feature extensively to provide benefits such a pedestrian recognition and form the basis of Nissan’s acclaimed ProPILOT system for safer, more confident driving.

Gareth Dunsmore, Electric Vehicle Director, Nissan Europe, explained,

“The Euro NCAP announcement proves what we have known for a long time – that the new Nissan LEAF has exceptional safety standards and is a true pioneer in the EV space. This shows that our customers can fully trust our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, we are on a path to transform the way we drive and the way we live”.

The announcement has been released just months after the Japan New Car Assessment Program also awarded the car the top 5-star grade following rigorous testing. In earning the top rating, the LEAF scored 94.8 points out of a possible 100 for occupant safety in a collision. The program is organized by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the National Agency for Automotive Safety and Victims’ Aid.