Nissan’s Blue Switch project allows its electric vehicles to act as portable power stations for emergency response teams. After the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 took nearly 5 million homes off the grid, Nissan provided a small fleet of first-generation Leafs to help out. This was the start of Blue Switch, which took another seven years to properly get off the ground. Being prepared means striking agreements with local governments and companies. Recently Nissan reached a major milestone – 100 agreements signed. Of these, 75 relate to how Nissan s electric vehicles can get straight to work the moment a disaster strikes.
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Nissan’s Blue Switch project allows its electric cars to supply power to stricken areas for as long as four days per charge.
16 December 2020
Nissan’s Blue Switch project unlocks the energy stored in car batteries to help people hit by earthquakes, typhoons or other emergencies.
Outside, there are the familiar scenes of devastation: Rubble. Mud. Broken power lines. But inside the volunteer centre in Nagano Prefecture in the heart of Japan, power tools are charging, a photocopy machine whirrs, and the smells of boiled rice and fresh coffee fill the air. In the wake of Typhoon Hagibis, those working at the centre have found an unexpected way to plug in: the white Nissan LEAF parked outside. It can charge tools, like an impact driver or a circular saw, which we use to remove walls or floors damaged by the flood, says Ryosho Hara.