Everyone in Switzerland knows AMAG, the long-standing importer of the brands of the Volkswagen Group. What is less known, however, is that the company from Cham (ZG) with its division “AMAG Energy & Mobility” consistently invests in renewable energy to become the first provider of sustainable individual mobility to meet the additional electricity needs as much as possible itself – and with its partners – covers.
This new ecosystem includes Clyde (subscription electric vehicles), Helion (photovoltaic infrastructure) and Volton (charging solutions), three AMAG Group companies. According to Martin Everts, head of AMAG Energy & Mobility, the group will invest no less than CHF 100 million in photovoltaic systems and charging stations in the coming years, both in partnerships and under its own name.
In January of this year, Clyde entered into a partnership with the start-up Solarify, which specializes in developing solar energy projects for businesses and individuals. In concrete terms, anyone can invest in a photovoltaic system and acquire a share of ownership corresponding to the amount of their own investment, without owning a house themselves.
Solarify bundles the development of the project, organizes the equity financing, buys solar panels and commissions Helion for their installation and ultimately operates the power generation. Each person who invests then receives a share of the profits made from the system they invested in.
With AMAG’s backing, Clyde has invested approximately one million Swiss francs in a dozen solar projects managed by Solarify in Switzerland.
In collaboration with Volton, Clyde offers a car subscription that also includes electricity. Subscribers receive solar energy from Clyde’s “park” of Solarify solar panels at no additional cost.
While the solar panels don’t actually power the charging stations to which Clyde’s customers have access, the energy used is in turn generated by the Solarify solar panels and fed into the local grid, improving Switzerland’s energy mix.
Photovoltaic cells are the ideal technology to generate electricity for electromobility, given the relatively simple operation and flexibility, the storage options that vehicles offer (bidirectional charging) and the low impact on the environment.
With the help of various partnerships, AMAG Energy & Mobility wants to offer its business and private customers “all inclusive” solutions in the form of a “one stop shop”. In a few months, customers will not only be able to receive advice on new cars, but also on solar systems and energy management in the same place and from a single point of contact.
