Fueled by the increasing demand for plug-in hybrid and electric cars in the past three years, Japanese automaker Nissan and General Electric have signed a deal to make smart charging technologies a reality.

The collaboration will explore ways to integrate hybrid and electric vehicles with homes and buildings, and will later brainstorm on how these new breed of cars can affect the larger electric grid, the two companies said in a news release.

Nissan, which last week began taking orders for the all-electric Leaf sedan, said the deal is part of its vision is to realize “zero-emission mobility through a holistic approach by by working with various partners in a broad range of industries.”

A blog post by GE scientist Matt Nielsen discussed some challenges in the integration of plug-in vehicles to homes and buildings, including the need to equip homes with the appropriate wiring for car charging and low-cost metering plans from utilities. The research will be conducted at GE’s global research operations in Niskayuna, New York.

According to the New York Times, about 98 percent of the vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2009 were powered by conventional gasoline engines. But many expect this trend to change in the next few years as automakers fill their pipeline with hybrid and electric cars and motorists become more aware of environment-friendly alternatives.