Nissan RE-LEAF: Power when it’s needed, where it’s needed

2020/09/29

LONDON (September 29, 2020) – Nissan has unveiled a 100% electric emergency response vehicle concept, designed to provide a mobile power supply following natural disasters or extreme weather events.

Called RE-LEAF, the working prototype is based on the Nissan LEAF passenger car, the world’s first mass-production electric vehicle.

Alongside modifications to navigate roads covered in debris, the RE-LEAF features weatherproof plug sockets mounted directly to the exterior of the vehicle, which enable 110 to 230-volt devices to be powered from the car’s high-capacity lithium-ion battery.

The RE-LEAF can be driven into the centre of a disaster zone and provide a fully mobile power supply to aid the recovery process. The integrated energy management system can run medical, communications, lighting and other life-supporting equipment.

To see a video of the concept in action, click here.

Real-world applications of EVs during disasters

Natural disasters are the biggest cause of power outages. A 2019 World Bank report found natural shocks and climate change caused 37% of outages in Europe between 2000 and 2017, and 44% of outages in the US over the same period.

When a disaster hits, the time for electricity supply to be restored is typically 24-48 hours, depending on the severity of the damage. During that period, electric vehicles can provide zero-emission, mobile emergency power.

Nissan created the RE-LEAF to demonstrate the potential of electric vehicles in disaster recovery. Although it’s just a working concept, the technology is already being used in the real world. In Japan, Nissan has used the LEAF to provide emergency power and transportation following natural disasters since 2011, and the company has formed partnerships with more than 60 local governments to support disaster relief efforts.

Nissan EVs can also act as mobile storage batteries to supply homes and society with electricity during non-emergency situations, creating a distributable energy model that can be used to help stabilize supply and demand.

The RE-LEAF uses the LEAF’s bi-directional charging ability, a standard feature of the model since its introduction in 2010. This means the LEAF can not only ‘pull’ power to recharge the high-capacity battery, but also ‘push’ it back to the grid through V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) technology, or directly to electronic devices through V2X (Vehicle-to-everything).

Acting as a portable power station, the latest generation Nissan LEAF e+ with a fully charged 62 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery can provide enough electricity to power the average UK household for around six days.

As a disaster recovery vehicle, the RE-LEAF can power multiple devices. Some example 230v power consumptions are detailed below:

• Electric Jack Hammer – 24 hours – 36kWh
• Pressure Ventilation Fan – 24 hours – 21.6kWh
• Intensive Care Medical Ventilator – 24 hours – 3kWh
• 100 watt LED flood light – 24 hours – 2.4kWh

Once electricity is restored to the area, EVs can be recharged and provide zero-emission transport – up to 239 miles (WLTP Combined) on a single charge of a LEAF e+ battery.

Helen Perry, Head of Electric Passenger Cars & Infrastructure for Nissan in Europe, commented; ‘Through Nissan Intelligent Mobility, we’re constantly exploring ways that electric vehicles can enrich our lives, beyond just zero-emission transportation. Concepts like the RE-LEAF show the possible application of EVs in disaster management and demonstrate that smarter, cleaner technology can help save lives and provide greater resilience for the future.’

‘Electric vehicles are emerging as one of the technologies that can improve resilience in the power sector. By having thousands of EVs available on standby, either as disaster-support vehicles or plugged into the network through Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), they’re uniquely capable of creating a virtual power plant to maintain a supply of energy during a major outage.’

Dan Cooke, Operations Director at Serve On, the UK's leading organisation providing emergency search and rescue in natural disasters around the world, added; “When responding to a disaster, two critical factors that make all the difference are establishing communications, and staying hydrated. Situational awareness saves lives and running a ‘command and control’ centre allows us to get the real picture of what’s happening whilst the infrastructure gets back online, but that needs power. Seeing the RE-LEAF is really exciting, because we love exploring new ideas to see what’s possible. Looking back to previous scenarios we’ve dealt with, this technology could have made a real difference. For example being able to power multiple filtration devices to produce thousands of litres of drinking water – essential in our line of work.”

Nissan RE-LEAF: In Detail
The RE-LEAF supports the three ‘REs’ of disaster preparedness – providing an emergency response, aiding the humanitarian recovery and improving community resilience for the future.

The RE-LEAF’s amber colour scheme is a nod to the ancient Greek word for amber – electron – the origin of the word ‘electricity’. This pairs with the blue colour scheme of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility vision to reference the concept’s connected abilities. A roof-mounted LED light bar also displays amber flashes to alert other road users to the vehicle’s approach.

To help the car navigate roads with obstructions or fallen debris, the RE-LEAF’s ride height has been raised by 70mm to 225mm with a custom ‘sump guard’ to protect the car’s floor pan. Wider tracks (+90mm front / +130mm rear), custom wheel arches, mud flaps and all-terrain tyres on 17-inch motorsport wheels add to the capability.

The large capacity and high reliability of the LEAF’s lithium-ion battery ensures a stable power supply to support multiple mains-powered devices. The integrated energy management system is able to output the RE-LEAF battery’s power at up to 230v. There are three sockets – two weatherproof external C-Form connectors for easy access, and an internal domestic socket mounted in the boot.

The rear seats have been removed and the floor levelled to provide storage for essential equipment. A custom bulk-head cage also separates the front seats from the cargo area.

Once the RE-LEAF arrives at a disaster zone, a bespoke pull-out desk extends from the boot with a 32-inch LED screen and dedicated power supply creating an operational hub to run communications from and manage the recovery process.

Once power is restored, the LEAF can be recharged using three charging profiles, even using domestic sockets if no EV infrastructure is available in the immediate vicinity.

* Indicated charging time based on starting charge of 20% and use of a CHAdeMO (50KW) rapid charger. Time may vary depending on charging conditions including charger type and condition, battery temperature and ambient temperature at point of use.

RE-LEAF Technical Specifications

The vehicle modifications were carried out by RJN, a UK-based engineering and motorsports firm, with project management by GTA Global Ltd.

APPENDIX

Nissan Disaster Support in Japan
In a 2016 report from the US National Association of State Energy Officials, the potential of EVs following natural disasters was highlighted, saying; ‘The ability to bring power where it is needed, even on a local scale, can be an invaluable resource during emergencies.’

In 2019, the United Nations reported that climate crisis disasters are now happening at the rate of one a week, and that the last two decades have seen an increase of 151% in direct economic losses from climate-related disasters.

Japan experiences frequent typhoons and around 10% of the world's earthquakes – more than 2,000 in 2019 alone.

In March 2011, the northeastern coast of Japan was struck by the strongest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history. Together with a devastating tsunami that followed, it resulted in 4.8 million households losing power.

Medical professionals working at an evacuation centre approached Nissan about using the LEAF electric vehicle – launched less than three months prior – as back-up power for heating and other purposes.

Nissan accelerated the development of technology to enable the LEAF to share the energy stored in its battery and 66 LEAFs were provided to the disaster-struck area to provide power for lighting, heating and other devices.

To promote the use of EVs to address issues including disaster prevention, energy management and climate change, Nissan started the Blue Switch program in 2018.

In September 2019, Typhoon Faxai caused massive blackouts in Chiba, Japan and surrounding regions. 340,000 households were left without power for more than three days in humid weather. Nissan sent LEAFs to local community centres where residents were able to use the EV batteries for fans, refrigerators, freezers, lighting and smartphones.

Today, Nissan has established partnerships with over 60 local governments in Japan on EV use during and after natural disasters. The agreements make electric cars available for local communities and citizens to use as power sources at evacuation centers and welfare facilities in the event of outages caused by natural disasters. This includes vehicles owned by local governments as well as ones used for car-sharing services and test drives at Nissan dealerships.

Join Nissan’s “Electrify the World” movement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and by using the hashtag #ElectrifyTheWorld. To learn more about the 100% electric Nissan LEAF, visit nissan.co.uk/leaf. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

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References:

• World Bank Group, ‘STRONGER POWER: Improving Power Sector Resilience to Natural Hazards’, (2019): https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/31910/Stronger-Power-Improving-Power-Sector-Resilience-to-Natural-Hazards.pdf
• UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, ‘UN 20 Year Review: earthquakes and tsunamis kill more people while climate change is driving up economic losses’, (October 2018): https://www.undrr.org/news/un-20-year-review-earthquakes-and-tsunamis-kill-more-people-while-climate-change-driving
• UK Power, ‘Average gas and electric usage for UK households’: https://www.ukpower.co.uk/home_energy/average-household-gas-and-electricity-usage
• National Association of State Energy Officials: Initiative for Resiliency in Energy through Vehicles, ‘Electric Vehicles and Emergency Response,’ (June, 2016): https://www.carmart.ch/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/iREV-EV-Case-Study.pdf

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