- Nissan Leaf owners will have the option of a new, higher-power bi-directional charger
- Using the FE-20 bi-directional charger will not void the Leaf’s warranty.
- Nissan did not say how much the FE-20 two-way charger costs.
Nissan has approved an update two way charger for use with the Leaf EV, giving owners another option to use their car as a mobile power source.
Nissan Leaf models have had bidirectional charging hardware since 2013, the automaker noted when announcing approval of the new charger, 20-kw Fermata Energy FE-20. But Nissan won’t officially authorize or confirm the feature’s use in the United States until 2022, when The use of the Fermata FE-15 charger has been approved. Like the 15kw charger, the FE-20 can be used without voiding the Leaf’s warranty.
Nissan Leaf 2025
The FE-20 boasts several improvements over the FE-15, including 33% more powerAn updated design reduces manufacturing costs and lower retail priceaccording to Nissan, although the automaker did not give specific pricing.
Nissan also promises better energy transfer between the vehicle and the grid than the FE-15, which in a proof-of-concept test at the automaker’s Franklin, Tennessee, headquarters in the United States reduced electricity bills by $9,450 over four years. Fermata Energy’s own software management tool could help owners achieve those savings by drawing power from the vehicle’s battery pack to power buildings during high-demand, high-cost periods.
Nissan Leaf 2025
Other companies, such as WallboxThe bidirectional charger market could allow homeowners to use EVs as backup powerBut that depends on approval from automakers like Nissan. Like the FE-15, the FE-20 charger has been approved for use with the Leaf after being shown to meet Nissan’s own requirements and receiving UL 1741 certification.
Nissan hasn’t updated the Leaf in years, meaning it’s currently the only EV still using CHAdeMO fast charging standard. It also no longer qualifies for the federal EV tax credit, but it still cheaper than economy car Nissan Versaat least in some cases. Two-way charging providing yet another reason to consider this used hatchback beyond the potentially low purchase price.
