Volkswagen Partners with Elli to Deliver a Better Charging Experience

What This Partnership Means and Where to Find a New Volkswagen Vehicle

If there’s one thing that the last couple of years have taught us, it’s this – people are ready to move on from high gas prices. Some people got lucky with a work-from-home schedule, providing them a nice reprieve from their regularly scheduled visit to the gas pumps.

However, other folks are on the same schedule with the same commute they’ve always had, and it’s steadily bleeding their monthly budget. Add a record high year-over-year inflation rate of over eight percent and the problem is further exacerbated.

Bottom line: it costs a lot to drive these days.

This is at least part of the reason the Volkswagen ID.4 – the automaker’s first foray into the electric vehicle category – has done so well. In addition to winning the 2021 World Car of the Year Award, the VW ID.4 offers drivers up to 275 miles on a single charge (Pro model), which is more than enough to get you through their weeks’ worth of commuting and errands.

The State of Electric Vehicle Charging

Although charging an electric vehicle isn’t free, it’s a far cry from what people are paying at the gas pumps. According to estimates gathered by Investopedia, charging a car runs anywhere from $10 to $30, depending on the size of the battery and the type of charger used. DC Fast Chargers, for instance, cost the most because they can completely replenish a battery in under an hour.

As more people switch over to electric vehicles, they’ll get more accustomed to using electric chargers and incorporating them into their routines. The one principal drawback of going with an EV is that drivers lose the sense of immediacy when recharging. Pumping gas is clearly much quicker, and will likely remain that way for years. However, the goal is to make charging EVs cheaper, more efficient, and faster. If this can be accomplished, it may remove the one big hurdle that’s keeping people from making the switch.

Another thing that’s a concern is in regards to the nation’s power grid. Some critics say the current power grid can’t support a population of drivers that is mostly EV, stoking the fear that there may be situations where vehicles would be without a power source. However, industry experts point out that electric vehicles actually support the grid since EV batteries store electricity. This means they can inject power back into the grid when it’s most needed. Additionally, major investments are being made into the nation’s power grid and infrastructure to ensure EVs are supported.

The VW Partnership with Elli and What it Means

Elli is Volkswagen’s charging and energy solution subsidiary that they’ve been working with to advance the integration of electric vehicles into the vehicle landscape. Through this partnership, they intend to do the following:

• Create incentives for electric vehicle owners
• Create a market that works for everyone
• Create a way to securely send data
• Ensure that data collected is secure and used responsibly

Elke Temme, CEO of Elli and Senior Vice President of Charging & Energy at Volkswagen AG, said, “An essential key to achieving climate neutrality lies in linking the energy and mobility sectors. Using the electric vehicle battery as a mobile power bank delivers a triple benefit: Firstly, the climate benefits as renewable energy can be stored and therefore be used more efficiently; secondly, the electric grid benefits, as the car can contribute toward grid stability; and thirdly, the customer can earn additional revenue with vehicle-to-grid services.”

By having this type of cooperation between electricity and mobility sectors, the electric vehicle market is expected to advance in a sustainable way that benefits both drivers and the power grid itself.

Ready to Test Drive a New Volkswagen? Visit a Local Volkswagen Dealership Near You at VW Cypress!

If you’re ready to get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle, you can’t go wrong with the award-winning VW ID.4. The future-forward design, loaded feature package, and top-tier performance makes this a vehicle worthy of making the switch. The best way to check out the VW ID.4 is by stopping by our dealership, conveniently located at 19550 Northwest Fwy in Houston.

If you’re not in the market for an EV – no problem! As the leading Volkswagen dealership near you in Houston, we carry a wide variety of SUVs and sedans that are on our lot and ready to test drive. Every new Volkswagen we carry is also backed by an industry-leading warranty that has you covered if you ever need to visit the VW service center.

Additionally, we carry a wide variety of used cars and certified pre-owned vehicles that have undergone a 100+ point inspection. Finally, you can find more great deals on VW products and services in our specials section.

Call us at (281) 532-8824 or e-mail us directly using the contact form on our website.

Important notification to our customers: Volkswagen Cypress SALES operations will move to its new location at 11411 Farm to Market 1960 West, Houston TX in December 2022. That same month our SERVICE operations will move to its new location at 10828 Steepletop Drive, Houston, TX, just one minute away from the SALES building!

Posted in Volkswagen News | No Comments »