Nissan and Eaton have partnered to introduce a residential energy storage unit that’s designed to enable customers to take advantage of time-of-use pricing, and to provide back-up power.

The xStorage system is powered by twelve second-life Nissan EV battery modules, and will feature smartphone connectivity. Nissan Design Europe will contribute design expertise to ensure that the unit is aesthetically pleasing (taking a page from Tesla’s book?).

“The collaborative development between Eaton and Nissan enabled us to optimize development and production costs and deliver a well-integrated offer to consumers,” said Cyrille Brisson, Vice President of Marketing, Eaton Electrical EMEA. “Our system will be provided to end users completely ready to use, with all required elements including cabling and installation by a certified professional. Our policy is to avoid hidden extra costs and achieve a lower total cost of ownership than other major offers already announced.”

“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, Chairman, Nissan Europe. “We want to make energy storage exciting and affordable to everyone, not least because it delivers real consumer benefits whilst ensuring smarter and more sustainable energy management for the grid.”

The xStorage solution will be available in Europe for pre-order starting in September. The starting price for a 4.2 kWh (nominal) system, including installation, is €4,000 (US$4,600).

Source: Nissan