The German start-up Sono Motors has been working on a special electric car for several years: The highlight: The vehicle uses solar energy to move. Now the manufacturer has improved a crucial detail.
The Sion electric car from Sono Motors is not even on the market yet, but it can already boast an exciting history with ups and downs. A few years ago the project was on the verge of end , but thanks to a crowdfunding campaign Sono Motors was able to raise around 50 million euros and save the electric car. The development is now on the home stretch. Shortly before the market launch, however, the manufacturer made a significant improvement.
SONO SION HAS A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER RANGE
In a survey among previous Sion reservations , more than 90 percent voted in favor of a more powerful battery . Originally the range of the solar electric car was 255 kilometers, but now the value has increased to 305 km with a maximum charging power of 75 kilowatts. The built-in lithium iron phosphate battery should have an energy level of 54 kilowatt hours and at the same time represent one of the safest batteries on the market. Last but not least, according to Sono Motors, the service life of the battery has been increased to 3,000 cycles or 900,000 kilometers.
THE GERMAN SOLAR ELECTRIC CAR
Electric cars are not yet very widespread among the population. Nevertheless, there are already different models like a dime a dozen . However, the Sion from Sono Motors stands out from the crowd. The e-car uses solar energy to save electricity and consequently also “fuel costs”. To do this, the manufacturer equipped its car with a total of 248 solar cells that can generate a peak value of up to 1.2 kilowatts. That should be enough for an average of 5,800 kilometers per year.
According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority , the average annual mileage per car in 2020 was 13,323 kilometers (0.9 percent less than in the previous year). Thus, in theory, almost half of the annual distance traveled by the Sion could be financed by free solar energy. At least if the manufacturer’s specifications apply in practice and the driver is on the road more in summer than in winter.
Sono Sion at a glance:
Battery: 54 kilowatt hours
Drive: 120 kilowatts
Trunk: 650 liters
Household socket charging time: 12.5 hours for 80 percent
Charging time fast charging station (CCS): 35 minutes for 80 percent
Bidirectional charging: yes
Empty weight: 1,730 kg
Top speed: 140 km / h
0 – 100 km / h: in 9 seconds
Range: 305 km
Purchase price 25,500 euros
Start of production: 2023
