The Volkswagen subsidiary Elli, which has Group-wide responsibility for all activities relating to the topic of charging and energy, is expanding its offer. The three brand-neutral wall box models are now also available in Italy, Sweden and Spain, following on from Germany. All chargers allow charging at home with a maximum charging capacity of 11 kW and are therefore up to eight times faster than a household socket. Three flexible and transparent charging tariffs are offered. The “Drive Highway” tariff for long-distance drivers has already been hailed in Germany as “the cheapest charging tariff from an independent provider” by the Europe-wide market analysis “E-Mobility Excellence Comparison 2022”.

The three wall box models from Elli are called “Standard”, “Connect” and “Pro”. They are compatible with current and future electric vehicles of the Volkswagen brands as well as all cars from other manufacturers with a Type-2 connector. Other common features include a charging capacity of up to 11 kW and an integrated 4.5 or 7.5 metre long charging cable. The Connect and Pro charger models connect to the Internet via WiFi – optionally also via LTE. This means that users can also control the wall box when on the move. What’s more, these two models can also be activated via app or charging card for particular users. In the case of the Pro charger, the app also shows all charging processes in an overview and allows a corresponding PDF file to be exported

Customers in Germany can conveniently order the Elli wall charging stations on the internet: Elli Wallbox online bestellen | Elli Shop | Elli – Empowering electric life. The wall boxes are now also offered in Italy, Sweden and Spain, which is a logical step for Simon Löffler, CCO of Elli: "Elli sees itself as an

independent full-service provider of charging and energy solutions that customers of all brands can use. We are therefore expanding the distribution of our wall box offer and taking this service to other European countries."

Customers who need assistance to install the wall box can request this on an individual basis from Elli. For example, if additional modifications (such as to masonry or fuse boxes) or cables are necessary, Elli can provide a portfolio of installation partners designated for this purpose.

Next to Elli wall boxes customers can also choose between one of the three charging tariffs from Elli whenever they don’t charge at home but on the road. The transparent tariff model provides affordable access to more than 330,000 charging points throughout Europe, including 10,000 fast chargers at over 3,000 locations. Cost transparency is assured thanks to fixed prices per kilowatt hour, independently of the respective charging station operator. The price structure is based on user charging habits: “Drive Free”, “Drive City” and “Drive Highway” are geared towards drivers who need to charge their vehicles rarely, frequently or quickly. Changing to a higher tariff is possible at any time. The “Drive Highway” tariff has already been hailed as the “cheapest charging tariff from an independent provider in 2022”. Based on the model calculation of the Europe-wide market analysis “E-Mobility Excellence Comparison 2022”, it offers the best price-performance ratio.

The charging models for the individual Volkswagen Group charging services – SEAT and CUPRA Easy Charging, Powerpass and Volkswagen We Charge – were standardised in spring this year as part of the NEW AUTO strategy and can be accessed via this link: https://www.elli.eco/en/mobility-service-provider

About Elli
Elli is a brand of the Volkswagen Group and a provider of energy and charging solutions. With a workforce of some 200 employees, the company takes care of the things that matter to customers at the touchpoints between energy and mobility. Elli’s aim is to make the benefits of the shift to green energy accessible to everyone – easy and hassle-free. The company intends to offer a seamless and holistic energy and charging experience for all electric car drivers and fleet managers. Elli was founded in 2018 and has offices in Berlin, Wolfsburg and Munich.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen of America (VWoA) today marked the start of production of its all-electric ID.4 compact SUV in Chattanooga, Tenn., the company’s first electric vehicle assembled in the United States.

The ID.4 is Volkswagen Group’s most popular all-electric model, with 190,000 units delivered to customers globally since its launch in 2021.Volkswagen aims to ramp up ID.4 assembly in Chattanooga to 7,000 vehicles per month later this year, with the goal to further increase output through 2023. Consumers can expect vehicles to be delivered as early as October 2022. Initially, the American-assembled ID.4 will be available in either rear-wheel- or all-wheel-drive 82kWh battery form. In addition, a rear-wheel-drive version with a 62kWh battery will go into production later in 2022, with a lower MSRP.

“We’re just starting to write a new chapter for Volkswagen in America, and it is very much an American story,” said Thomas Schäfer, Chairman of the global Volkswagen brand. “When we promised to bring Volkswagen EVs to the millions, it always included American workers building those EVs right there in Chattanooga. We couldn’t be prouder to see that vision realized today with our ID.4 electric flagship rolling off the lines. This is another milestone in Volkswagen’s ambitious electrification strategy for the U.S. market and globally.”

The start of production is the result of Volkswagen’s $800 million investment into the electrification of its Chattanooga factory, including dedicated facilities for vehicle and battery pack assembly. The factory in Tennessee is now the sixth global site to produce vehicles for Volkswagen’s electric line-up.

The American-assembled ID.4, Volkswagen’s electric SUV flagship, will be mainly sourced in the North American region, particularly the United States. The vehicle includes materials and components assembled in 11 U.S. states, from steel in Alabama and Ohio, to interior parts in Indiana and South Carolina, and electronics components in Kentucky and North Carolina. The EV battery will be supplied by SK Innovation located in Georgia.

As part of the preparation to launch the ID.4, suppliers have invested $2.7 billion throughout the North American continent, including the battery partnership with SK Innovation. More than 3,000 U.S. jobs on supplier side have been created.

“There has been a tremendous effort by thousands of VW Chattanooga employees to bring this vision to life,” said Chris Glover, President and CEO, Volkswagen Chattanooga Operations, LLC. “I’d like to thank all our highly motivated team members and the extended community of Chattanooga for supporting us as we begin assembly of the ID.4 for the North American market.”

Volkswagen Chattanooga employs more than 4,000 people, and is actively hiring more than 1,000 new production team members through 2022, to help meet high customer demand for the ID.4 and Atlas SUV family. To prepare for the EV transition, the factory has organized more than 75,000 hours of workforce training on batterypowered vehicle and high-voltage systems.

Volkswagen has committed $7.1 billion over the next five years in the North American region to boost its product portfolio, regional R&D and manufacturing capabilities. The brand will advance its electric line-up through 2030, including the Americanassembled ID.4 in 2022, a fastback sedan and the ID. Buzz electric microbus in 2024, and new electric SUVs from 2026. Volkswagen aims for 55 percent of U.S. sales to be fully electric by 2030.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Volkswagen Group China today unveiled its first electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) passenger drone prototype, as part of its strategy to explore and break new ground in fully electric and sustainable individual mobility concepts. In 2020, Volkswagen Group China launched a Vertical Mobility project to explore the next generation of mobility solutions, including the urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. After intensive research, conceptual work, and development, the project team has now developed its first validation model – the V.MO. This initial prototype has also been nicknamed the ‘Flying Tiger’ due to its distinctive black and gold livery, which was painted to commemorate its launch in the Year of the Tiger.

The prototype concept is based on existing autonomous driving solutions and battery technology for emission-free mobility. With a luxury x-wing configuration of 11.2m in length and a span width of 10.6m, the model features eight rotors for vertical lift and two propellers for horizontal flight. The Group will conduct several flight tests later this year to optimize the concept and an improved prototype will undergo further advanced test flights by late summer 2023. In its final future iteration, the fully electric and automated eVTOL could eventually carry four passengers plus luggage over a distance of up to 200km.

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, said: “Through this pilot project, we are bringing Volkswagen’s long tradition of precision engineering, design, and innovation to the next level, by developing a premium product that will serve the vertical mobility needs of our future tech savvy Chinese customers. This is a pioneering project which our young team of Chinese experts started from scratch – they are working with new design concepts and materials while developing new safety standards, disrupting and innovating every step of the way. The launch of this stunning validation model – the V.MO – is the first of many remarkable milestones on our exciting journey towards urban air travel, and a perfect example of our ‘From China, For China’ mission. Our long-term aim is to industrialize this concept and, like a ‘Flying Tiger’, break new ground in this emerging and fast-evolving new mobility market.”

Volkswagen Group China is rapidly expanding local R&D and software expertise to respond faster to what customers want and significantly accelerate the pace of innovation. The Vertical Mobility project requires interdisciplinary and innovative thinking in a new field, and the Group formed a team of young, local experts to drive it forward. They have been supported by Chinese partners including Hunan Sunward Technology, a subsidiary of Hunan-based manufacturing group Sunward. The company specializes in aviation product development, sales and services and is a market leader in the light sport aircraft industry.

Urban air mobility is a fast-emerging market which aims to utilize air space for short- and medium-distance connections, especially above and between large cities. In China, it is set to play a significant role in the future of urban and intercity transportation in its congested megacities. In the first phase of its commercial use, V.MO is likely to be pitched as a premium product for high-net worth tech savvy Chinese customers, for example for VIP air shuttle services. eVTOL air vehicles will be able to transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport and with greater flexibility. As the Vertical Mobility project develops, Volkswagen Group China will work with the relevant Chinese authorities to achieve certification.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries of all-electric vehicles by 27 percent in the first six months year-on-year and thus successfully continued its global electric offensive. Despite supply bottlenecks, a temporary stop of production in Europe and Covid-related lockdowns in China, 217,100 BEVs have been handed over to customers in the first half year, up from 170,900 in the prior-year period. The BEV share of total deliveries reached a level of 5.6 percent, up from 3.4 percent in the first half of 2021. The biggest growth driver was China with 63,500 BEVs – a more than three-fold increase versus the prior-year period.

In terms of BEV deliveries by region, Europe was still clearly in the lead, with 128,800 vehicles (share of Group total: 59 percent) in the first six months. Second biggest BEV market for the Group was China with 63,500 deliveries (29 percent). The USA corresponded to 8 percent of the Group’s global BEV deliveries with 17,000 vehicles.

By the end of June, the core brand Volkswagen delivered 115,900 BEVs to customers (share of Group total: 53 percent). This was followed by Audi with 50,000 vehicles (23 percent), ŠKODA with 22,200 vehicles (10 percent), Porsche with 18,900 vehicles (9 percent), and SEAT/CUPRA with 8,300 vehicles (4 percent).

The top selling BEV models in the first half of 2022 were as follows:

– Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5 66,800 units

– Volkswagen ID.3 26,000 units

– Audi e-tron (incl. Sportback) 24,700 units

– ŠKODA Enyaq iV (incl. Coupé) 22,200 units

– Porsche Taycan (incl. Cross Turismo) 18,900 units

– Audi Q4 e-tron (incl. Sportback) 18,200 units

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com