Volkswagen Jumps Into Electricity Trading

Volkswagen has a subsidiary called Elli that is in charge of energy and charging matters. Elli has now just taken a big step forward. It is engaged in electricity trading in Europe. And, yes, this is the first time that a car company is actually listed on the German electricity market, the EPEX Spot power exchange.

Does that mean Elli and Volkswagen are tapping into VW electric cars to use their batteries’ electricity? No, in this case, the company is using stationary batteries. However, expect that addition to the system eventually. One step at a time.

The company is very serious about this new venture. “We want to make Elli the leading brand in the European energy and battery management business,” Elli CEO Giovanni Palazzo says. “Elli will significantly advance electric mobility and the energy transition. We are already Europe’s largest mobility service provider in the field of charging and energy. We want to further expand this leading position and develop Elli into a leading trading company for battery flexibility. Electricity trading is a major milestone on this path. Our long-term goal is clear: We want to give our customers a clear advantage in terms of electricity prices and at the same time develop new, high-revenue business models that will strengthen Elli in the long term.”

Copyright: Volkswagen AG

The stationary batteries Elli is using did come from old VW e-up! electric cars. The company has also built a “digital electricity trading platform.” The company explains the process further:

“This is how Elli electricity trading works: The focus is on an intelligent platform for trading, controlling and optimizing batteries. Bids can be automatically placed on the stock exchange via the platform. The trading results are translated into a timetable and the battery is automatically charged or discharged. Electricity is purchased during periods of low prices (with a tendency towards a high share of renewables) and sold during periods of high prices (with a tendency towards a low share of renewables). As a result, not only can trading revenues be generated, but a better use of renewable energies can also be achieved. The stationary battery storage uses 28 battery systems and 34 e-up! cell modules.”

More regarding Volkswagen’s broader energy and charging ambitions can be found here. This includes discussion of Electrify America, PowerCo, and Elli.