Dive Brief:
- Nissan North America is partnering with Electrum to launch the “Nissan Energy Marketplace,” to help consumers research, purchase and arrange for the installation of a variety of home energy products, the automaker announced in a July 31 press release.
- California-based Electrum operates an online marketplace that connects homeowners and commercial clients with a national network of trusted installers for a variety of home electrification products, including solar panels.
- According to Nissan, the partnership supports its commitment to EV adoption in the U.S., and also coincides with the debut of the newly redesigned 2026 Nissan Leaf this fall. The Nissan Leaf was the world’s first mass-market electric car when it launched in 2010.
Dive Insight:
The announcement builds on the automaker’s “Nissan Energy Charge Network,” an app the company announced in October 2024 to make ownership easier and more convenient for Nissan’s future EV customers in the U.S.
The launch of the new Nissan Leaf EV may help jumpstart the automaker’s sales in the U.S. after significant declines over the past year. The Leaf became the world’s best-selling EV after it debuted 15 years ago, but sales of the aging model have steadily declined as automakers like Tesla, GM and Hyundai have gained market share in the competitive EV segment in recent years.
The 2026 Leaf is estimated to have a range of just over 300 miles with North American Charging Standard (NACS) compatibility and support for Level 3 charging, which may boost its appeal.
"At Nissan, we're building more than electric vehicles — we're shaping a smarter energy future," Jonathan Miller, Nissan U.S.’ director of EV transformation, said in the release. "With the Nissan Energy Marketplace, customers can enhance their EV ownership experience with tools and support tailored to each household's unique needs."
The lack of convenient charging access has been one of the barriers to the widespread adoption of EVs for Nissan and other automakers. Many current and prospective EV owners still have concerns about charging, according to a March 2024 report from JD Power.
Electrum helps customers find available rebates or incentives they may be eligible for to offset the costs of installing residential EV chargers and other energy products. Customers receive instant estimates on installation costs after answering simple questions. Installers can submit bids via the Nissan Energy Marketplace, which allows customers to compare prices.
All of Electrum’s installation partners are screened and vetted to ensure customer satisfaction, according to the company.
"Together, we are breaking down the barriers to home electrification, making it easier than ever for Nissan customers to harness clean energy and take charge of their energy future,” said Electrum CEO Max Aram in the release.
In addition to working with Nissan on energy solutions, Electrum's other OEM partners include Honda, Tesla and Hyundai, according to its website.
Other automaker partnerships with utility providers
Nissan’s partnership with Electrum mirrors similar collaborations between automakers and utility partners to support EV adoption in the U.S. The efforts are helping customers reduce energy costs and take advantage of available incentives toward installing residential chargers and other energy storage products.
In September 2024, Ford announced that it’s working with the Texas utility company TXU Energy to help customers offset residential EV charging costs. As part of the “TXU Free EV Miles program,” eligible customers will receive a 100% credit on their electric bill for energy used to charge their Ford EVs during overnight hours when power demand is lower.
In March, GM Energy joined a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) bidirectional charging pilot with California utility provider Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for customers in Northern and Central California. Eligible residential customers enrolled in the pilot will receive discounts of up to $4,500 off the price of a GM Energy home charging bundle, as well as a vehicle-to-home enablement kit for using GM EV’s battery as a backup power source at home.
In April, GM’s business unit GM Energy announced a partnership with the energy resource management company EnergyHub to integrate its EVs and home energy storage solutions into utility programs across the U.S., to support the grid during peak energy demands.
