Eaton Nissan xStorage
The Eaton Nissan xStorage is an entry in the solar battery market utilising lithium-ion second life technology. It represents a collaboration between Japanese car manufacturer Nissan and power management company Eaton (who are based in Dublin and recorded $19.7b in sales in 2016). According to Nissan’s press release about the product from last year they expect to sell more than 100,000 xStorage units within the next five years.
It comes in three options of storage, 4.2kWh, 6kWh, and 9.6kWh – and is available in single phase and three phase power distribution (three phase set to launch later this year).
The xStorage has smartphone connectivity to see how your power is going for the day and switch between energy sources with a simple one-click interface.
All three options have 10 years battery life and according to Eaton’s website the Eaton Nissan xStorage boasts a 97% system efficiency. As it’s backed by two massive companies the system is supported by a network of over 1,000 distributors, working with qualified installers in 77 countries. The batteries will be powered by 12 battery modules from Nissan’s Leaf electric cars (hence the ‘second life’ tag).
“It is high time consumers were given the flexibility and power to control how and when they use energy in their own homes…the new xStorage solution combines Nissan’s expertise in vehicle design and reliable battery technology with Eaton’s leadership in power quality and electronics, resulting in a formidable second life battery solution.” said Paul Willcox, the chairman of Nissan Europe upon launch of the xStorage.
Eaton Nissan xStorage vs Tesla Powerwall 2
Cyrille Brisson, the VP of Marketing at Eaton: “Our system will be provided to end-users completely ready to use, with all required elements including cabling and installation by a certified professional, at a starting price of €4,000 (£3200) for 4.2KWh nominal. Our policy is to avoid hidden extra costs and achieve a lower total cost of ownership than other major offers already announced. “
- The xStorage is ostensibly more expensive but the Powerwall 2 doesn’t include installation price (Tesla estimate $1,150 – $2,900 AUD) and the xStorage does (hence Brisson’s discussion of ‘hidden costs’ in the quote above).
- 9.6kWh is the largest xStorage available vs the Powerwall’s 14kWh (13.kWh usable). The Powerwall can be daisy-chained (up to 10) but no word about the xStorage’s modular capabilities yet – we’ve reached out for comment from the manufacturer.
- Both products are single phase and three phase power supply compatible.
- Both products have a 10 year warranty.
In any case, this is moot until we’re able to buy it in Oz…
Eaton Nissan xStorage Australia Release Date and Cost
No word on an Australian release date for the xStorage – looks like it’s UK/EU only for the time being – but we have reached out via email to the Communications Director at Nissan, David Jackson, and will update as soon as we hear back.
Eaton Nissan xStorage Case Study – 10-year MOU with Amsterdam ArenA
The xStorage is currently in use at Amsterdam’s ArenA where they required full backup in the case of power blackouts – you can view a video case study below!
