Nissan says electric car can power family home

Makes sense for japan - especially in the rural areas.

This would probably not be very economical, considering the battery has a limited number of charge cycles before it must be replaced, at a cost of anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 US dollars.

Sounds like more marketing nonsense.

If manufacturers were serious about electric vehicles (which they are not) then we would hear about:

Firefly batteries (Why did they have to flee to India instead of finding capital in the USA? If they work, then WTF?)

Rossi's ECat LENR generators (There is no way the cabals will ever let this into the USA)

Existing Li-ion and lead acid batteries are sufficient for aluminum frame and other light material personal vehicles already, but the reason we can't get them is because they won't provide the ECONOMIC GAIN required by "Fifth Avenue" business models. They work TOO well, provide users too much freedom, and don't require dependency on the oil cabals.

The name of the game isn't freedom, it's continual obligation and consumption.

Two questions:
How can Nissan's battery technology be translated to stationary platforms, like a house or business. What's the economics of installing and maintaining this system in a stationary location?

It could sure get us through a 2 day power outage in a snow or ice storm. would really be useful instead of a generator that sits around most of the time taking up space.

What's the economics of installing and maintaining this system in a stationary location?

Read somewhere,maybe here,that Li-ion batteries can continue to be used in stationary apps after their useful life in cars is over.

The average american passenger car powered by gasoline, produces enough energy to power three to five households at once with normal electrical usage. And then consider how many households have more than one of these cars, some with even more power under the hood. All vehicles should be required to state their horsepower in terms of kilowatts, along with the curb weight. But then more people might be tempted to start thinking for themselves...

@ Arkaleus: You're unfortunately right...the lag in commercialisation of technology is due to market forces and vested interests. However it happens for a more moral reason also, for example, the rate of advance of technology across all areas is greater than society's ability to accept change. Unleash some of our most recent technological marvels, such as 3D printing, at their maximum deployment and you would create a highly socially destructive paradigm shift. Now Personally I'd be up for that...and I believe we probably need to live faster (by which I mean embrace change more deeply)...but that's not going to happen.

considering the battery has a limited number of charge cycles before it must be replaced, at a cost of anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 US dollars.

The article says it's supposed to be an emergency system. Not to be used for contunially shifting energy back and forth between car and house/grid (like this inane idea of using car batteries as grid energy storage devices which was propagated a while back by the media)

What's the economics of installing and maintaining this system in a stationary location?

Read somewhere,maybe here,that Li-ion batteries can continue to be used in stationary apps after their useful life in cars is over.

They can, because the power demands of a house are smaller than of a car. You can squeeze 1-2 years more use out of a battery by using it at low power, but it's still going to lose capacity at an accelerating rate because the process that destroys the lithium battery gets faster the older the battery is.

It's a funny use of a car, not a bad idea I guess.
Maybe it will make a more useful backup generator than it will a useful car.

I wonder how the people in the skyrise in the background will connect their cars. The depicted house does not seem to be the norm in Japan.

But it certainly beats buying a car and a separate emergency generator

Reminds me of the guy who powered his house for three days during an ice storm in Massachusetts with his Prius.

It's a funny use of a car, not a bad idea I guess.
Maybe it will make a more useful backup generator than it will a useful car.

The Leaf has no gasoline engine. It doesn't produce any power, it only stores power.

Gasoline (or other hydrocarbons) can power electric cars now with current technology. They would be cleaner and more efficient than piston internal combustion and can be built with existing designs.

Replace the drive train with electric motors powered by a turbine generator and you have real progress.

Gasoline (or other hydrocarbons) can power electric cars now with current technology. They would be cleaner and more efficient than piston internal combustion and can be built with existing designs.

Replace the drive train with electric motors powered by a turbine generator and you have real progress.

Don't know what you are smoking,dude,but there is no way to power pure electrics with any combustible fuel.Are you talking about hybrids? I like series hybrids,as you can run on battery power alone until they run down and need recharging.At that point,an auxiliary engine kicks in to recharge the batteries.Under certain circumstances,cars like the Volt would not burn a drop of gas for months.

The Leaf has no gasoline engine. It doesn't produce any power, it only stores power.

I hope he means battery backup.Can't see anyone reading articles on this website being so ignorant.

What's the economics of installing and maintaining this system in a stationary location?

Read somewhere,maybe here,that Li-ion batteries can continue to be used in stationary apps after their useful life in cars is over.

They can, because the power demands of a house are smaller than of a car. You can squeeze 1-2 years more use out of a battery by using it at low power, but it's still going to lose capacity at an accelerating rate because the process that destroys the lithium battery gets faster the older the battery is.

Check this out: http://mattermore...in-mind/