This Nissan Leaf Pays Its Owner Just For Charging It

Jan. 01, 2023 7:26 AM ET by Chase Bierenkoven Electric Vehicles / 8 Comments

Joseph Evans went from paying for electricity to profiting from it.

At one point, winemaker Joseph Evans was paying $4,000 or more annually to settle up his electricity bill. Evans runs a vineyard in Australia's Barossa Valley. Looking to cut down on his annual electricity spending, he installed a solar system on the roof of the vineyard, called Ballycroft. During the day, the property ran on the system, saving him some $2,700 USD.

Still, that left a chunk of change on the table when the sun sets. At this point, Evans turned to his Nissan Leaf. Nissan offers what it calls Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology for the Leaf, as so many automakers are now starting to do. Hyundai offers V2G as well, for example.

With the Leaf parked at home with Evans every night, it seemed an obvious solution to zeroing out his electricity spending. "I've gone from a $6,000 (AUD) annual power bill to making around $50 (AUD) per week in profit selling my excess power back to the grid," says Evans.

"That is more than $2,500 (AUD) in annual profit, from what was once a significant cost. And what's even better is the fact that, while fuel and electricity prices are only heading in one direction - and that direction is up - my costs are fixed, and fixed at zero."

"Instead of paying for my power, I'm getting paid for my power," Evans continues.

Australians have been experimenting with V2G tech recently, and Evans is one of the best examples of its benefits. His vineyard was among the first pilot sites approved by SA Power Networks (SAPN) for V2G integration. Other customers can apply now, too.

Here in America, companies like Hyundai are working to convince their customers that V2G can be worth it, largely with the same pitch - "Let us install this, and you'll make some money." It's tempting, and the benefits, for now, seem plentiful. As the technology develops, we have no doubt circumstances will change, especially where money is concerned.

This Nissan Leaf Pays Its Owner Just For Charging It

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This Nissan Leaf Pays Its Owner Just For Charging It

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