Nissan and U of T sign partnership to accelerate vehicle and grid research
On August 26, Climate Positive Energy (CPE) announced that University of Toronto (U of T) signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Nissan North America. The partnership will accelerate vehicle- and grid-related research and activity through a joint collaboration between Nissan, and the University of Toronto’s Electric Vehicle (UTEV) Research Centre and Grid Modernization Centre (GMC).
Timothy Chan, Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives, was joined by Atsushi Teraji, General Manager, EV System Laboratory, Nissan Motor Corp. Japan, for a signing ceremony at the historic Hart House. Chris Scott, Ontario’s Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy and Mines, joined the ceremony and delivered remarks. Also in attendance were other senior members from both Nissan and U of T.
The collaboration will support a research initiative focused on enabling secure, scalable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems in North America. V2G technology allows electric vehicles to both charge from and supply power back to the grid. Using edge computing, the project will optimize smart charging and real-time energy management across electric vehicles, homes, and the grid – laying the groundwork for a virtual power plant model that enhances grid reliability while protecting user privacy.
This interdisciplinary research is supported by a strong ecosystem of student and faculty design teams, specialized laboratories, and academic expertise. By collaborating with Nissan, U of T aims to accelerate the commercialization of solutions that can make EVs not only greener modes of transportation but also integral components of resilient, decentralized energy networks.
“Our strategic collaboration with Nissan is essential to developing breakthrough research in cleaner mobility and energy storage,” said Timothy Chan. “This partnership will not only accelerate innovation, but also ensure that our research has real-world impact. We look forward to building solutions together that will shape the future of mobility for future generations.”
“Ontario is proud to be the engine of Canada’s automotive and energy innovation,” said PA Chris Scott. “This partnership between the University of Toronto and Nissan demonstrates how Ontario’s world-class post-secondary research is driving advances in clean energy and next-generation vehicles. By leveraging our unmatched talent and innovation, Ontario is strengthening the automotive sector, protecting good-paying jobs today, and building the strongest, most resilient economy in the G7 for tomorrow.”
Nissan is a recognized leader in the mass-market EV space and recently launched the third generation of its LEAF electric car, which is now available with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) connections, enabling LEAF to power small- to medium-sized devices from the vehicle’s battery.
To read the full news release, click here.
Left to right: Abhishek Bhatia (Nissan Canada Inc.), Yoshinori Suzue (Nissan North America Inc.), Professor Timothy Chan, Atsushi Teraji (Nissan Motor Corp. Japan), Professor Olivier Trescases, and Parliamentary Assistant Chris Scott.
CPE and GRO extends its thanks to PA Chris Scott for joining (photos: by Liz Beddall).