Public charging of electric cars: the Volkswagen Group's ecosystem
Public charging is a key topic for the Volkswagen Group, which offers access to more than 310,000 charging points throughout Europe with a single contract and introduces fixed-price charging for volume brands.
For zero-emission mobility, the charging process is just as important as the quality of the vehicles, which is why the Volkswagen Group has developed a new quality strategy regarding charging and energy. As a result, the Volkswagen, SEAT/CUPRA and ŠKODA brands now offer uniform tariffs for public charging, allowing users to pay fixed prices per kWh across the entire charging network.
In this way, cost transparency is maximised and at the same time the Volkswagen Group continues to expand its European charging network, which now counts more than 310,000 charging points, including around 10,000 fast chargers, at over 3,000 locations. In addition, a comprehensive partnership programme is being developed to increase the comfort at charging parks.
A new era for electric car charging
“In the age of electric mobility, charging and energy are of the utmost strategic importance. For many customers who consider an electric car, being able to recharge at home is still a must. But for us it is a limitation and we cannot be satisfied with it. With NEW AUTO, we have therefore taken these issues into our own hands by investing in the charging network. It is a strong team effort by the Group and the volume brands; our goal is to get everyone excited about e-mobility”, explains Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board Member for Technology and CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.
Three charging rates for all
A vision shared by Hildegard Wortmann, Group Board Member for Sales: “As part of the NEW AUTO strategy, we are consistently working with our Group brands towards the goal of becoming the market leader in e-mobility. To this end, we are building a complete ecosystem for our customers, which also includes the key topic of charging. We want to offer them an all-round positive, fully integrated and comfortable charging experience that cannot be found anywhere else”.
So, users will be able to choose between three basic tariffs, each with fixed prices per kWh charged, which will apply to customers of We Charge (Volkswagen), Powerpass (ŠKODA), Easy Charging (SEAT/CUPRA) and Elli, which is the backbone of the offer. All these providers will also offer the best conditions for fast charging with Ionity. This logic of clear and fixed prices is certainly the one that users prefer: prices may be different depending on the country, but they will always follow the same logic*.
Plug & Charge
The quality strategy also includes a 'Selected Partner' programme, which was developed together with the charging stations operators and and is scheduled to start later this year. This will enable the navigation systems of electric cars to highlight the most convenient stations: the quality criteria will include reliability, weather protection and availability of catering options.
The Plug&Charge function, on the other hand, will be soon activated, via a software update in all electric cars of the volume brands based on the MEB platform. In this way, the car will identify itself at the corresponding charging station - using the ISO 15188 standard - and automatically start the charging process. Among the providers already supporting Plug&Charge are IONITY, Aral/bp, E.ON and Iberdrola, plus others that will join the offer.
Charging experience without compromise
“We want to offer our customers an optimal charging experience and make the electric car a no-compromise first-time vehicle choice. For this reason, we are addressing the issues of price transparency, network expansion and charging comfort, and with the 'Selected Partner' programme we will offer a quick overview of the best available options on the route. All this will contribute to a quality expansion of the charging network”, concludes Elke Temme, CEO of Volkswagen Group Charging GmbH (Elli) and Senior Vice President Charging & Energy at Volkswagen Group Components.
With the NEW AUTO strategy, charging and energy have assumed a key role for the Volkswagen Group, which is investing in the development of the fast-charging network like no other car manufacturer.
Charging solutions for all
By 2025, around 45,000 High Power Charging (HPC) points are planned in Europe, China and the United States together with partners. The offer also includes a whole range of charging solutions for private and business customers: from the company’s own wallbox to the flexible fast-charging station, from charging services to innovative and smart tariffs for green electricity. In the next phase, the Volkswagen Group will anchor electric cars as mobile power banks in the energy system, creating added value for users and the network.
* in individual markets – due to legal requirements - time-based
Source: Volkswagen AG
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