LBNL procured 13 previously owned model year 2012 Nissan LEAFs (Table 2).
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Nissan LEAFs sold in the U.S. have a software block to prevent bi-directional (i.e. battery discharging) capability. Enabling bi-directional capability in the LEAFs purchased with Energy Commission funds for the LAAFB V2G demonstration only required a software upgrade, which was performed by a Nissan technician in the field (this option is not currently available to the public). The software change consisted of upgrades to three systems: 1) lithium battery controller; 2) on-board charger; and 3) vehicle control module. The technicians who visited the Base used re-programming tools to make the upgrades. The process took about one hour per vehicle.
In addition to the changes made to the LEAFs, an additional piece of hardware was needed to enable bi-directional flow - the CHAdeMO connector, which connects the charging station and the vehicle to allow direct charge and discharge of the batteries in the EVs. This demonstration used the CHAdeMO standard version 0.9, which was developed by Nissan and Nichicon, an electrical hardware vendor, to provide a bi-directional connector for the Japanese market.
Once the software upgrade to enable bi-directionality was completed, some issues surfaced that led to delays and limited details shared about the upgrade.
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Additionally, LBNL learned that with the software upgrade to the EVs, Nissan no longer considered the vehicles standard production models and voided the standard warranty. Under this Energy Commission agreement, LBNL purchased an extended warranty for the vehicles with some exceptions. Any issues related to the software change or discharge operation were no longer covered under the extended warranty. The software upgrades did not affect the drivability, on-road performance, or electrical safety of the LEAFs.
