Nissan and Mitsubishi to standardize EV home-charging systems

Nissan and Mitsubishi are planning to work together to develop a standardized system that will allow consumers to use their electric or hybrid vehicles to power appliances in their homes. After a report of several hybrid Toyota vehicles being used as backup power sources after the March 11 earthquake in Japan, Toyota has announced that it will begin offering domestic-market Priuses with AC outlets intended for that exact purpose. Nissan and Mitsubishi, who recently announced a collaboration on building Japanese minicars, hope that standardized power-supply systems from EVs would be used across Japan.

Mitsubishi announced the adaptor to make its i-MiEV into a home power source in July, while Nissan unveiled its own adaptor a month later. However, the two adaptors are incompatible with each other, meaning someone with a LEAF could not charge a home appliance with an i-MiEV adaptor. The Japanese newspaper Yomiuri has reported that the two manufacturers are working on a standardized adaptor, but neither Nissan nor Mitsubishi have officially discussed such plans.

Nissan has already won the race to bring a 100% electric vehicle to the mass market with its LEAF, while Mitsubishi is working to get its smaller and slower, but cheaper, i-MiEV electric vehicle on sale in the United States. There are, however, currently no announced plans to offer these home-charging systems on US-market vehicles.

Source: Automotive News