Volkswagen wallbox-photovoltaic ecosystem for home charging launched

Elli subsidiary presents the Charger 2, which optimises electric car charging with renewable energy from Otovo panels

Photo by: Volkswagen

By: Francesco Barontini

Oct 11, 2024 at 5:25am ET

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Tesla has shown a new path for car manufacturers: that of the storage system with a photovoltaic system and stationary battery to supply energy to a home and recharge an electric car.

Volkswagen is now embarking on the same path. The German manufacturer had announced the Smart Charging initiative in June this year and is now actually launching it on the market. It does so through Elli, a subsidiary that deals precisely with charging products.

First of all, there is the new wallbox

With the launch of the Smart Charging programme, Elli first of all presents a new wallbox, called the Elli Charger 2, which will be sold in 28 European markets, including the UK. The Elli Charger 2 will be available in four versions and is designed to be compatible with any electric car equipped with Type 2 charging.

The new Charger 2 wallbox from Elli

The two basic models are called Connect 11 and Connect 22 and, as the name suggests, allow AC charging at 11 kW and 22 kW respectively. They are both equipped with WiFi and Ethernet connection and have cables 4.5 and 7.5 metres long. These are joined by the high-end models, Pro 11 and Pro 22, which also have charging powers of up to 11 or 22 kW. They are equipped with LTE connection and a legally compliant MID meter.

Photovoltaic systems come from Otovo

The new Elli wallboxes are also interesting for another reason. They are compatible with domestic photovoltaic systems and thus make it possible to optimise the charging of an electric car by exploiting the excess energy production of the house. This feature theoretically makes it possible to recharge an electric car up to 40 per cent cheaper. In addition, those who have a variable-cost energy supply contract will be able to prioritise charging when tariffs are cheapest with the Charger 2.

In addition to the new wallboxes, Volkswagen will promote the creation of an efficient and green home ecosystem by offering photovoltaic systems produced by Otovo, a Norwegian company that is a strategic partner of Elli. Together, the two companies are launching a pilot project at German Volkswagen dealerships with the intention of then spreading these technologies throughout Europe.

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Otovo photovoltaic panels connected to an Elli charging system

Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli, commented on the arrival of the new wallboxes as follows: "At Elli we see smart charging as the point of contact between electric mobility and the energy transition at home. With the new Charger 2 we have taken a big step forward in terms of innovation and efficiency, but there is more. We are planning a future scenario in which electric vehicles can be used as an energy storage battery that can help stabilise the electricity grid at times of higher consumption.