Shell and Volkswagen open Flexpole charging station in Germany

Shell Germany and the Volkswagen Group have opened their first 150 kW Elli Flexpole charging station at a Shell service station in Göttingen.

The charging station of the Volkswagen brand Elli has a battery storage system that enables connection to a low-voltage grid. Thanks to this new technology, the charging stations can be installed easily and flexibly, and the grid expansion can be accelerated. Following a successful test operation, Shell and Volkswagen also plan to install the Flexpole charging station at other locations in Germany and Europe.

"With VW's Elli Flexpole charging stations, we can make an important contribution to the necessary expansion of the charging infrastructure. And in locations where it would be otherwise difficult for fast charging. Shell is already one of the largest providers of charging infrastructure at home, at work, at on-street lamp posts and at our service stations. We want to do our part to enable customers to switch to an electric vehicles and thus reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector," says Tobias Bahnsen, Head of Shell E- Mobility responsible for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Simon Löffler, Chief Commercial Officer at Elli, adds: "The rapid expansion of the charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for the success of e-mobility. We contribute to this journey with our innovations such as the Elli Flexpole. It can be set up almost anywhere without major construction work, making it ideal for quickly setting up fast-charging options. We are pleased to have found a strong partner in Shell who, like us, wants to expand the charging network in Germany and across Europe."

The Flexpole chargers can be connected directly to the low-voltage grid thanks to the integrated battery system, without the need for a special transformer or costly construction work. As a result, the installation time is significantly reduced. At the same time, Flexpole charging stations enable a charging speed of up to 150 kW. Depending on the vehicle, a range of up to 160 kilometres can be charged within 10 minutes.