Nissan has created an electric concept car to show how EVs can help restore power during natural disaster outages

The Nissan Re-Leaf concept has been created to show how 100% zero emissions electric cars can provide mobile power in natural disaster zones

Natural disasters are the biggest cause of power outages and the electric car concept from Nissan aims to show how EVs can come to the rescue.

The Nissan Re-Leaf is derived from a regular Nissan Leaf electric car, and is equipped with a range of external sockets to power devices from the lithium ion battery.

Nissan says it can power an electric jack hammer, an intensive care medical ventilator and a 100-watt LED floodlight all for a full 24 hours.

Nissan Leaf 3.Zero e+ (Image: Nissan)

The Re-Leaf also has uprated suspension, wheels and tyres so it can be driven into a disaster zone to provide the fully mobile power service.

The Leaf’s bi-directional charging ability is behind the mobile power functionality, allowing it to both ‘pull’ power from the grid, but also ‘push’ it back to electronic devices.

In disaster zones, power typically takes a day or two to be restored: the Re-Leaf provides electricity during the outage, and can then be recharged once power comes back online.

Nissan says the concept also shows how electric cars can help support the broader electricity network for additional resilience against power cuts.

Nissan Europe’s Helen Perry said: “Concepts like the Re-Leaf show the possible application of EVs in disaster management.

“Electric vehicles are emerging as one of the technologies that can improve resilience in the power sector.

“By having thousands of EVs available on standby, either as disaster-support vehicles or plugged into the network through Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), they’re uniquely capable of creating a virtual power plant to maintain a supply of energy during a major outage.”

RJN, a UK engineering and motorsport firm, carried out the modifications that include raised suspension giving 225mm of ground clearance.

Read more: Motoring Research