Photo/Illutration An electric car supplies power to an elevator using the V2X System in Tokyo on Jan. 27. (Ayumi Sugiyama)

An emergency system was developed to supply energy from electric vehicles to elevators to keep them operating during prolonged blackouts caused by natural disasters.

Hitachi Building Systems Co. and Nissan Motor Co. have conducted verification tests on the system and plan to pitch it to companies and local governments.

“The system can be used in various circumstances, so we will conduct repeated rounds of experiments and expedite the move toward its commercialization (by year-end),” said Tatsunori Takahashi, director of the marketing headquarters at Hitachi Building Systems.

Under the V2X System, shown to the media in January, power goes to a stalled elevator from an EV through dedicated equipment. With the electricity, the elevator can operate under adjusted conditions, such as at a lower speed.

The system can also supply EV power to water pumps, lighting and air conditioners during emergencies, while it serves as a charging station for EVs on ordinary days, the companies said.

The companies have carried out trials since last year to determine whether the V2X System could keep an elevator functional for 10 straight hours using power from Nissan’s Sakura electric minivehicle.

If the Sakura is fully charged, the elevator can shuttle between the first and sixth floors of a building 263 times at a reduced speed of 30 meters per minute, according to the test results.

The automobile’s battery was still half charged following testing, the results showed.

Use of the V2X System is expected particularly during wide-area power outages caused by huge earthquakes. It can be installed at existing buildings and apartments.

Trial runs are planned for taller structures, according to the companies.

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