Tag Archives: Elli

Volkswagen

Elli introduces pan-European charging solution for electric fleets

German electric vehicle brand Elli has launched a smart solution, Elli Fleet Charging, for electric vehicle fleets across Europe. Companies in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Austria can now efficiently manage and optimize the charging of their electric vehicle fleets. Over 650 German companies and fleet managers have already adopted Elli’s product after several months of market introduction.

The number of electric vehicles in European fleets is steadily increasing. Currently, one out of every seven company fleet cars is fully or partially electric. This proportion is significantly higher in fleets compared to the general population (Source: KfW Research, August 2023). This increase in electric vehicles is driven by the need to reduce CO2 emissions and comply with legal regulations. As a result, effective management of electric fleet charging is becoming increasingly important for companies.

Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli and SVP of Volkswagen Group Charging & Energy, explains, “The shift towards electric mobility is changing the way companies handle their transportation needs. Electric fleet management differs from traditional fleet management because company car drivers need charging solutions not only on the road. Companies require an integrated multinational billing system that covers all charging scenarios, from public fast charging stations to private home chargers with MID energy meters. Elli offers comprehensive turnkey software and hardware solutions to address this specific use case.”

Elli Fleet Charging provides efficient and cost-effective fleet management, reducing administrative tasks for employers and employees. The Fleet Management Console offers complete cost transparency and real-time visibility. Company car drivers can charge their vehicles in three locations: public charging stations using the app or RFID card, home charging with a smart Elli Charger Pro and a digital reimbursement system for charging costs. Elli also provides installation and maintenance services for company-used home chargers through its partner ChargeGuru.

Starting from April next year, Elli Fleet Charging will also offer charging solutions at workplaces, including planning, installation, and maintenance services for standard and fast charging stations. The service will launch in Italy, Spain, and Austria first, followed by other European countries over the next few months. To test Elli’s new software for free, interested customers can sign up online within minutes at https://www.elli.eco/en/b2b/products/fleets.

Palazzo further emphasizes, “As one of Europe’s largest mobility service providers, Elli aims to provide a seamless charging experience with the ultimate goal of decarbonizing society for future generations. We aspire to become one of the leading international charging and energy providers.”

Volkswagen

Elli at IAA 2023: Showcasing Elli’s new e-mobility products, and future projects

As Europe’s leading e-mobility service provider, Elli, a brand under the Volkswagen Group, will present its latest charging products and services at this year’s International Motor Show (IAA) in Munich. In addition, Elli will unveil its future plans and give a glimpse into upcoming advancements in energy innovation and its transition towards offering comprehensive energy solutions.

At the heart of Elli’s presentation at IAA is the Flexpole. This fast charging station, equipped with an integrated battery storage system, is easy to install and flexible. It can be connected to a low-voltage grid without the need for a special transformer or expensive construction work. The Flexpole features two connectors that can deliver fast-charging speeds of up to 150 kW, allowing for a range of up to 160 km to be achieved within just 10 minutes, depending on the vehicle.

“With the new Flexpole and our expanding charging network, which now consists of over 540,000 charge points, we are driving the expansion of e-mobility quickly and reliably. Elli is already one of Europe’s largest e-mobility service providers. However, we understand that customers are not only interested in quantity. That’s why we are dedicated to focusing on delivering a holistic charging experience,” explains Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli, during the event in Munich.

To meet this goal, Elli provides its customers with access to the Selected Partner Network, a network of premium charging point operators chosen based on strict quality criteria. This network offers optimal charging stops, high-performance charging infrastructure with convenient on-site facilities such as cafés, restaurants, and sanitary facilities, along with excellent operational reliability. Customers enrolled in the Elli Drive Highway tariff also enjoy exclusive lower energy prices. Currently, the Selected Partner Network includes IONITY Europe, Audi charging hubs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and Ewiva in Italy, among others.

“Innovation in the charging and energy industry is crucial for the success of e-mobility and the decarbonization of society. In the future, Elli will place even greater emphasis on EV batteries as critical energy storage solutions, which will enable us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and better manage the availability of renewable energies. We call this strategy ‘Battery under management.’ Our aim is to become a software-driven energy company and a leading provider of comprehensive energy solutions,” adds Palazzo, referring to a significant milestone in the energy business.

Since July 2023, Elli has been actively participating in Europe’s largest energy trading exchange, EPEX. At the core of Elli’s operations on the exchange is an intelligent platform for trading, controlling, and optimizing battery storage. The platform automatically places bids on the energy exchange market, and the trading results are then used to charge or discharge the battery storage according to a predetermined schedule. By purchasing electricity during low-price phases, typically when renewable energy is abundant, and selling it during high-price phases with higher demand and less renewable energy, Elli not only generates trading revenues but also enhances the utilization of renewable energy. As part of a pilot project in Baunatal (Kassel), e-up! batteries are employed within a stationary battery storage center known as the “PowerCenter.” This initiative provides valuable insights for Elli in the development of a smart energy platform that can be applied to larger and more complex scenarios in the future.

For more information about Elli and to view related images, please visit www.elli.eco.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group and Elli Launch Electricity Trading on European Energy Exchange

Today, the Volkswagen Group and its subsidiary Elli have become the first automotive company to trade on Europe’s largest power exchange, EPEX Spot, in Germany. This groundbreaking venture relies on a stationary storage system comprised of e-up! batteries and a new digital electricity trading platform developed by Elli. The stored energy traded on the electricity market will be stored in the “PowerCenter”, a stationary storage system. This pilot project is a collaborative effort between Elli and Volkswagen After Sales and marks the initial stage in the development of the planned Smart Energy Platform. Volkswagen and Elli aim to incorporate the increasing storage capacities of electric vehicles and batteries into the energy system, playing a crucial role in the transition to renewable energy sources.

“Elli will significantly drive electric mobility and the energy transition,” states Elli CEO Giovanni Palazzo. “We are already the biggest mobility service provider in Europe for charging and energy. Our intention is to further enhance this leading position and transform Elli into a prominent trading company for battery flexibility. Electricity trading is a significant milestone on this path. Our long-term objective is clear: we want to provide our customers with a distinct advantage in terms of electricity prices while developing new business models that generate high revenues and ensure the long-term success of Elli,” he added.

Kora Töpfer, Head of German Public & Regulatory Affairs at the European Power Exchange EPEX Spot, expresses her satisfaction with welcoming the Volkswagen Group and Elli as the first automotive company to engage in trading on the German electricity market. Töpfer emphasizes the importance of companies participating in trading and managing the growth of renewable energies to balance fluctuating demand and energy supply. Elli’s inclusion expands the diverse trading community, benefiting the entire market and all participants. With more activity comes increased trading opportunities for all

Elli’s electricity trading process relies on an intelligent platform that optimizes and controls battery usage. Bids are placed automatically on the stock exchange via the platform, and the trading results are used to create a timetable for charging or discharging the battery accordingly. The approach involves purchasing electricity during low-price periods, characterized by a higher proportion of renewable energy sources, and selling electricity during high-price periods with a lower share of renewables. This not only generates trading revenues but also encourages more effective utilization of renewable energies. The stationary battery storage system comprises 28 battery systems and 34 e-up! cell modules.

The pilot project allows Elli to gather valuable experience in developing a smart energy platform that can be applied to larger and more complex applications in the future. For instance, Elli, in collaboration with battery company PowerCo, is currently exploring the potential for large-scale storage systems and their scalability. Additionally, the growing fleet of electric cars can be integrated into the energy grid through Vehicle-2-Home and Vehicle-2-Grid technologies, enabling them to serve as mobile power banks. Through intelligent charging tariffs and algorithms, Elli already enables users to charge their vehicles when renewable energy is abundantly available at a lower cost.

For more information about Giovanni Palazzo and related photos, please visit www.volkswagen-group.com or www.elli.eco.

Volkswagen

Mobility service provider Elli launches new tariffs offering higher flexibility

Energy and charging solutions provider Elli is changing its charging tariffs effective June 1, 2023. The new price system will provide even more flexibility for Elli’s customers: price-per-minute charging will no longer apply anywhere in Europe, vehicles can be connected to AC chargers for longer before a blocking fee is charged, and the minimum contract period for charging plans will be reduced to one month. These measures will help to cushion the price increases for new customers that rising costs have made unavoidable.

Customers of Elli and the SEAT/CUPRA, ŠKODA, Audi, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brands will benefit from a new price system starting June 1. The specific terms will vary from country to country and from brand to brand but will be clearly shown in the relevant apps. The switch from billing based on charging time to consumption-based charging in kilowatt hours (kWh) will now benefit all users without exception. Going forward, the blocking fee for vehicles parked at AC (alternating current) charging stations that are not being charged will be imposed after four hours instead of three. The blocking fee at AC charging stations will continue to be suspended between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Depending on the plan, the minimum contract period will also be reduced from twelve months to just one or three months. This will allow customers to choose the best plan for their needs, even at short notice – for example for longer trips taken during the summer holidays. The convenient Plug & Charge technology for automatic registration, charging and billing will also continue to be part of all brands’ plans.

Another new feature planned is a selected partner network that will make charging even more convenient. This will be rolled out as part of the plans offered by Elli, SEAT, ŠKODA, Audi and Volkswagen and will allow additional partners to benefit from the lower prices that up to now were the preserve of IONITY users.

In making these changes, Elli is doing its part to cushion the price increases that charging station operators are forced to implement to cover rising costs: along with the higher infrastructure costs, the operators will also pass on the electricity price increases to Elli. The new charging plans enter into force on June 1, 2023 for new customers in 28 European markets and will be transparently itemized in the relevant apps for all Elli, SEAT/CUPRA, ŠKODA, Audi and Volkswagen customers. In Germany, the basic monthly fee for the middle plan will also be reduced to EUR 4.99.

Elli provides an extensive portfolio of energy and charging solutions

With a workforce of some 300 employees, Elli takes care of the things that matter to settlements with customers at the touchpoints between energy and mobility. Elli is the Volkswagen Group brand that offers a wide portfolio of energy and charging solutions in Europe and also acts as a provider of mobility services. Its current range of products includes charging solutions for private customers and companies – from the customers’ own wall boxes and the mobile charging station Flexpole to charging services and – innovative and smart green-power rates. Elli offers digital solutions and services designed to create seamless experiences at public charging stations. Elli was founded in 2018 and has offices in Berlin, Wolfsburg and Munich.

You will find more information at https://www.elli.eco/de/startseite

1Plug & Charge not included in Elli’s free rate