Nissan is Finding a Way to Reuse Old Leaf Batteries
Just because a battery pack can no longer be used in an electric vehicle doesn’t mean it’s no longer useful.
Nissan has announced a new project that will reuse old batteries from its Leaf electric vehicle to power city street lights completely independent from the electric grid. The Japanese automaker and its affiliate 4R Energy Corporation are working with the town of Namie, Japan, to install these new streetlights that will be powered by a combination of solar panels and used batteries from Nissan Leafs.
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The project is called “The Reborn Light,” and will provide lighting to residents of Namie as part of the town’s recovery efforts following the massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. As part of the project, Nissan and 4R have created a new type of outdoor lighting that requires no electric cables or outlets. A prototype will be tested next week at the 4R reclamation battery factory in Namie, and full-scale installation is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2018.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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