diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index e0b06b0f6..068c89dcd 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -86,10 +86,9 @@ func configureSponsorship(token string) error {
 	defer cancel()
 
 	res, err := client.IsAuthorized(ctx, &pb.AuthRequest{Token: token})
-	if err == nil {
-		if res.Authorized {
-			sponsor.Subject = res.Subject
-		}
+	if err == nil && res.Authorized {
+		sponsor.Subject = res.Subject
+		sponsor.Token = token
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/soc/main.go b/cmd/soc/main.go
index b41e0082f..ede2b3d18 100644
--- a/cmd/soc/main.go
+++ b/cmd/soc/main.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/sponsor"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/vehicle"
 )
 
@@ -49,6 +50,10 @@ func main() {
 		case "action":
 			action = arg
 			key = ""
+		case "token":
+			sponsor.Subject = arg // TODO placeholder
+			sponsor.Token = arg
+			key = ""
 		default:
 			params[key] = arg
 			key = ""
diff --git a/util/sponsor/auth.go b/util/sponsor/auth.go
index eae92c328..487373b4a 100644
--- a/util/sponsor/auth.go
+++ b/util/sponsor/auth.go
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package sponsor
 
-var Subject string
+var Subject, Token string
 
 func IsAuthorized() bool {
 	return len(Subject) > 0
diff --git a/vehicle/cloud.go b/vehicle/cloud.go
index a8b1beb13..cba81b044 100644
--- a/vehicle/cloud.go
+++ b/vehicle/cloud.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package vehicle
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -12,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/cloud"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/request"
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/sponsor"
 )
 
 // Cloud is an api.Vehicle implementation
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ func init() {
 // NewCloudFromConfig creates a new vehicle
 func NewCloudFromConfig(other map[string]interface{}) (api.Vehicle, error) {
 	cc := struct {
-		Token string
 		embed `mapstructure:",squash"`
 		Brand string
 		Other map[string]string `mapstructure:",remain"`
@@ -45,8 +44,8 @@ func NewCloudFromConfig(other map[string]interface{}) (api.Vehicle, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if cc.Token == "" {
-		return nil, errors.New("missing required token")
+	if !sponsor.IsAuthorized() {
+		return nil, api.ErrSponsorRequired
 	}
 
 	host := util.Getenv("GRPC_URI", cloud.Host)
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@ func NewCloudFromConfig(other map[string]interface{}) (api.Vehicle, error) {
 
 	v := &Cloud{
 		embed:  &cc.embed,
-		token:  cc.Token,
+		token:  sponsor.Token,
 		brand:  cc.Brand,
 		config: cc.Other,
 		client: pb.NewVehicleClient(conn),
diff --git a/vehicle/config.go b/vehicle/config.go
index ba255c1b8..743b708a0 100644
--- a/vehicle/config.go
+++ b/vehicle/config.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
+	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -43,9 +44,23 @@ func Types() []string {
 
 // NewFromConfig creates vehicle from configuration
 func NewFromConfig(typ string, other map[string]interface{}) (v api.Vehicle, err error) {
+	cc := struct {
+		Cloud bool
+		Other map[string]interface{} `mapstructure:",remain"`
+	}{}
+
+	if err := util.DecodeOther(other, &cc); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if cc.Cloud {
+		cc.Other["brand"] = typ
+		typ = "cloud"
+	}
+
 	factory, err := registry.Get(strings.ToLower(typ))
 	if err == nil {
-		if v, err = factory(other); err != nil {
+		if v, err = factory(cc.Other); err != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("cannot create vehicle '%s': %w", typ, err)
 		}
 	} else {