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Nissan reveals RE-LEAF, a 100% electric car prototype

Nissan unveiled its prototype 100% electric emergency response car, designed for a mobile power supply after natural disasters or extreme weather events.

The prototype designated RE-LEAF is based on the Nissan LEAF passenger car, the world’s first mass-produced electric car.

In addition to the modifications that allow it to travel on roads covered by debris, RE-LEAF has waterproof charging plugs mounted directly outside the car, which allows 110-230 V devices to be powered from the battery high-capacity lithium-ion vehicle.

RE-LEAF can be driven to the center of a disaster zone and provide fully mobile energy supply to support the recovery process. The integrated energy management system can put medical, communications, lighting and other life support devices into operation.

Natural disasters are the main cause of power failures. A 2019 World Bank report found that natural shocks and climate change caused 37% of failures in Europe between 2000 and 2017 and 44% of power failures in the U.S. over the same period.

When a disaster occurs, the time for the electrical supply to be recovered is usually 24 to 48 hours, depending on the severity of the damage. During that time, electric cars can be used to provide zero-emission, emergency mobile fueling.

RE-LEAF was created to demonstrate the potential of electric cars in disaster recovery. Although the automobile is just a working prototype, the technology exists to be used in the real world.

In Japan, Nissan has been using LEAF to provide emergency supply and transportation after natural disasters since 2011 and the company has partnered with more than 60 local authorities to support disaster relief efforts.

Through Nissan Energy Sharing, EVs act as mobile storage batteries to supply homes and society with electricity, creating a distributable energy model that can be used to help stabilize electricity supply and demand.

RE-LEAF uses the bi-directional charging capability of the Nissan LEAF, a standard feature of the model since its introduction in 2010. This means that LEAF can not only “draw” energy to recharge its high capacity battery, but also can “send” back to the network via V2G or directly to other electronic devices using V2X (Vehicle-to-everything) technology.

By 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 an average European home for six days.

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