The Volkswagen Group is taking a further consistent step towards sustainability. The new Group subsidiary, Elli Group GmbH, is offering an eco- power tariff that is available throughout Germany with immediate effect. The first product from Elli is called “Volkswagen Naturstrom”, comes from 100-percent renewable sources and is intended for private households and small businesses. The new tariff is expressly intended not only for current customers of Volkswagen Group brands or owners of electric vehicles.
Elli’s goal is the digital networking of energy and mobility. This is based on the conviction that e-mobility can only be really sustainable if vehicles are powered by electricity generated on a CO2-free basis.
Up to the market launch of the first electric car based on the new modular electric toolkit (MEB), the Volkswagen ID., Elli will be gradually building up a portfolio of smart charging solutions ranging from hardware via invoicing and additional digital services through to comprehensive consultancy packages up to the beginning of 2020. The range will include wallboxes, charging stations and IT-based energy management systems as well as customer cards for charging on the road.
Volkswagen Naturstrom from Elli: pricing
In Germany, the standing and commodity charges of all electricity suppliers are subject to regional differences and depend on a number of factors including the utilization charges of grid operators. The latest information on Elli’s tariff is available on the website naturstrom.elli.eco.
A sample calculation for central Berlin indicates that a typical household of three persons with an annual consumption of 3,500 kilowatt-hours could save about €280 compared with the standard tariff of the local general supplier over the contract term of 24 months.
The special feature of the Elli tariff calculator is that it can include the consumption of an electric car in addition to a household, if the customer so wishes.
Volkswagen Naturstrom from Elli: quality of power
Electricity customers using the new tariff will be supporting the energy transition. For each kilowatt-hour used by a customer, the same quantity of power will be fed to the grid from renewable sources such as wind, solar or hydroelectric power facilities. Currently, the power is taken mainly from hydropower plants in Germany and neighboring countries with physical network links such as Austria or Switzerland.
TÜV Nord certifies that the power comes from environmentally compatible power plants. This body confirms that the quantity of power purchased by the customer is taken entirely from CO2- free plants. It is also certified that the supplier, VW Kraftwerk, invests actively in the expansion of renewable energies, for example through the construction of the Salzgitter wind farm which is due to be connected to the grid before the end of the year. It is planned that some of the power generated there should be included in the power mix for Volkswagen Naturstrom.
Volkswagen Naturstrom from Elli: contract conditions
The minimum contract term is 24 months, with a full price guarantee for the first 12 months. For the second period of 12 months, Elli guarantees that there will be no price adjustments as a result of changes in invoicing, procurement, sales and other administrative expenses. The time required for the changeover depends on the current contract, the local network operator and, in the case of relocation, the removal date.
