Nissan is to use its electric car technology to help power its new regional office in France.

That will be done through the deployment of what it claims will be the world’s largest grid-integrated energy hub.

The Japanese car manufacturer said it will install 100 vehicle-to-grid chargers from its partner ENEL, allowing EVs to plug in and use energy from the grid during off-peak hours with the ability to sell back the stored energy.

It will also include a 1MWh energy storage system – developed by battery storage firm EATON – which will be powered by 64 Nissan LEAF EV batteries combined with solar energy generation.

The new technology is expected to slash energy costs at the new office by reducing the use of power from the grid during peak hours.

Paul Willcox, Chairman of Nissan Europe said: “Innovation is about more than creating something new. It’s about making something better and finding solutions for the future.

“By demonstrating that electric vehicles can play an integral part in the energy management systems of the future, this project is a watershed moment on our journey towards a fully electric future.”

Nissan hopes to extend the technology to other major sites and facilities worldwide in the next few years.

Earlier this year, ELN spoke to car manufacturers and experts about innovation and challenges in the UK EV industry.