Mitsubishi Electric developing charging system which employs EVs as an electricity source during blackouts

mitsu electric

Mitsubishi Electric is developing a solar-powered charger for electric cars, one which will be able to reroute electricity from the EV’s batteries into the home in the event of a blackout. The company is looking at EVs very much as batteries-on-wheels and as an alternative power source to fixed storage systems.

The charger, which is being developed together with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, is expected to go on sale in Japan next year, priced above 500,000 yen, the Nikkei reports. It will be the first system with such a capability to be sold domestically, and will work with both MMC’s i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf.

According to the company, since EV batteries are able to store more electricity than current home-based ones, an EV hooked up to the charger – when utilised with separately installed solar panels – will be able to power a typical home for up to a week.

For example, the Leaf – which will begin selling in Malaysia soon – has a capacity of 24 kwh, far higher than residential battery systems in place now. The new charging system will also offer a cost effective solution (provided one has an EV in the first place, of course) – a residential unit with the capacity needed to supply an average home’s daily power needs (around 10 kwh) goes for two to three million yen.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • electricBLUE on Oct 28, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    hey guys, i have a huge powerbank, should u connect your smartphone into me…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 6
  • Denaihati on Oct 28, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    not just interesting, very usefull and can be fully utilized for home electricity. maybe next 10-20years, no more gen-set at pasar malam.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • BLUR SOTONG on Oct 29, 2013 at 11:10 am

    No wasted energy. No worries for fuel price hike .
    Our Care takers of Bolehland, please give us bank loan to purchase this solar powered home energy storage and this EV. We will not complain any more on any “Kind” gestures implemented by our Kind caretakers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • krs189 on Oct 29, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    This car will be banned during GE Vote counting day

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
 

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