A Car That Powers Your House

Nissan LEAF owners in Japan can now use their cars to power their homes using the recently released LEAF-to-Home power station. About the size of a small air conditioning unit, the system draws DC power from the car's battery, converts it to AC power and delivers it to the home's electrical distribution panel. The lithium ion batteries can store up to 24 kilowatt-hours of electricity - enough to supply the average Japanese home
for two days - with a peak power output of 6 kilowatts.

In addition to supplying backup power in the event of an outage, Nissan envisions the power station as a way to balance energy demand. By charging at night, during low demand hours, consumers can save money on their overall energy costs. The system can also be charged from solar panels.