PV provider Otovo and Elli, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, have launched a strategic partnership to combine solar energy and electric mobility. The partnership aims to allow both companies to develop customised solutions for the growing EV market.
By combining a wallbox and PV system, the partnership claims to reduce the total cost of ownership for EVs by up to 40%. While saving them money, it will create an ecosystem for sustainable mobility and energy for consumers.
Otovo, a pan-European residential solar marketplace, launched in the UK in 2023. In March of this year, it introduced its solar subscription product to “democratise access to solar”. Elli offers a wide portfolio of energy and charging solutions in Europe and acts as a Mobility Services Provider.
Central to the collaboration is the implementation of efficient PV surplus charging, where excess solar energy is directly used to charge electric vehicles. Starting in the summer of this year, VW customers will be able to buy a PV system with an Elli Charger 2 through VW group sales channels.
It will first roll out in Germany and then across all 13 of Otovo’s European markets: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
An Otovo solar installer will install the system. The combined wallbox and PV will offer savings to consumers who, by generating their own solar energy, will be independent of electricity price fluctuations. The system will enable consumers to charge their cars with PV surplus and save on charging costs.
Giovanni Palazzo, CEO of Elli, said: To further advance electromobility, we need to make the entire charging ecosystem more accessible and cost-effective for customers.
“Therefore, the partnership with Otovo is not only an important signal for the charging and energy business in Germany and Europe, but especially for the intelligent integration of mobility and energy transition at home. We are very pleased about this important step and the pioneering cooperation.”
Andreas Thorsheim, CEO and founder of Otovo, added: “Through the cooperation with Elli, our solar solutions will be directly presented to buyers at the point of sale. The savings associated with PV systems will thus become immediately visible. This partnership enables us to directly demonstrate the benefits of our photovoltaic systems and significantly expand our market potential.”
This article was originally published on our sister site, Current±.