Berlin/Wolfsburg/Oslo, 07 June, 2024 - Otovo, Europe's leading marketplace for solar installations, today announces the launch of a partnership with Volkswagen Group’s Electric Vehicle charging company, Elli.
Elli provides EV chargers, and helps consumers minimize their energy costs by ensuring that charging takes advantage of fluctuations in prices. Elli’s system also uses weather predictions to plan charging to coincide with expected production from solar panels, for customers who have a system on their roof.
Customers of electric vehicles and chargers of the Volkswagen group, including Volkswagen, Audi, Cupra and Skoda brands among others, are presented with Otovo's solar energy and storage offering. One of the key benefits of the partnership is the significant reduction in the total cost of ownership for electric vehicles through the use of solar energy systems. The combination of wallbox and PV system offers consumers the potential to save up to 40 per cent on charging costs, according to Elli.
Through this partnership Otovo will get exclusive access to Elli customers who are motivated to go solar. For every Elli customer who buys a solar energy system from Otovo, Elli will receive a fixed commission. This partnership will contribute to diversifying Otovo's customer acquisition channels giving Otovo access to EV drivers ready to go solar.
Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli comments on the partnership:
- In order to further advance electromobility, we need to make the entire charging ecosystem more accessible to customers and more cost-efficient. The partnership with Otovo is therefore not only an important signal for the charging and energy business in Germany and Europe, but above all for the intelligent integration of the mobility and energy transition at home. We are very pleased about this important step and the pioneering cooperation.
Andreas Thorsheim, CEO of Otovo remarks:
– With Elli’s software and Otovo’s solar systems, electric car drivers will be able to charge when the panels produce the most, maximizing the value of the panels, minimizing the charging cost for the customer and minimizing the carbon impact. The combination of an EV from the Volkswagen Group, a charger from Elli, and a home energy system from Otovo is really fantastic.
The increased penetration of solar energy and electric vehicle uptake creates a virtuous cycle boosting both categories:
– We see that in countries with high EV adoption, people start requesting solar to charge their cars cheaper. And the other way around, in countries with high solar penetration panel owners lead the way in car electrification. We are thus pursuing a strategy where home energy and automotive are natural partners, says Thorsheim.
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About Elli
The company Elli, with around 370 employees, addresses the needs of customers at the interface between energy and mobility. Elli is the Volkswagen Group's brand that offers a wide portfolio of energy and charging solutions in Europe and also acts as a Mobility Service Provider. The current product range includes charging solutions for private customers and businesses – from the personal wallbox to the flexible fast charging station Flexpole to charging services and innovative smart green electricity tariffs. For public charging, Elli provides digital solutions and services for a seamless charging experience. Elli was founded in 2018 and has locations in Berlin, Wolfsburg, and Munich.
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About Otovo
For homeowners, Otovo is the easiest way to get solar panels on the roof, and batteries in the home. Otovo is a pan-European marketplace that organizes hundreds of local, high quality and qualified energy installers. The company uses its proprietary technology to analyze the potential of any home and finds the best price and installer for customers based on an automatic bidding process between available installers.