Elli, the market leader among Europe’s charging network providers with 500,000 charging stations, has become the first company to achieve an important milestone in accessing the charging infrastructure. In the last four months alone, the Volkswagen Group’s charging and mobility brand has added 100,000 charging points to its network.
Elli gives customers a comfortable, cross-border charging experience, providing access to some 950 providers in 28 countries. A close-knit, reliable EV charging network and easy-to-use charging stations are the key to e-mobility. They allow drivers to use their electric vehicle without range anxiety.
Thomas Schmall, CEO of Group Technology: “Half a million charging points in the Elli charging network represent an important milestone on our e-mobility roadmap. Together with our partners we are building a comprehensive, seamless charging network in Europe.”
The Volkswagen Group is one of the few car manufacturers in the world to take the core technologies of e-mobility into its own hands. The Technology Board department plays a key role in making the electric mobility strategy a reality and is rapidly implementing the Technology Roadmap presented at Power Day 2021. Group Technology also brings together all activities in the Charging and Energy unit.
Rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for the e-mobility ramp-up. The Group aims to become a leading supplier of a smart charging and energy ecosystem. The number of co-operations and partnerships has steadily grown since 2017: in addition to stakes held in the joint venture companies IONITY and Ewiva, Spanish energy company Iberdrola and British energy company bp are two of the strategic partners involved in the expansion of the charging network.
A number of services and innovations add to the level of convenience when charging a vehicle. Along with the conventional AC (alternating current) charging stations found mainly in urban settings, the Elli charging network now has around 33,000 high-power charging (HPC) stations throughout Europe. The new Plug&Charge technology brings additional convenience. This technology enables electric vehicles and charging stations to complete the charging process autonomously. All drivers have to do is connect the electric vehicle to the charging station – everything else is done automatically. In the Elli network, around 5,000 charging stations already have this option.
As a mobility service provider (MSP), Elli addresses drivers of all brands of electric cars and offers a transparent pricing model for different types of charging stations – from AC charging stations for overnight charging to fast chargers on the motorway. The Drive Free, Drive City and Drive Highway rates apply across borders and are valid for all countries. Drivers can go online and calculate the costs in advance, taking their own driving and charging behaviour into account. Customers of Elli and those of the brands SEAT & CUPRA (“Easy Charging”), ŠKODA AUTO (“Powerpass”) and Volkswagen (“We Charge”) may use the network. Since January 2023, the AUDI charging service has also been part of the portfolio.
With a workforce of some 300 employees, Elli takes care of the things that matter to 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.
