ROME – The assumption is one: “Electric cars are too expensive.” Laurin Hahn, CEO and co-founder of the German company Sono Motors, has thus swerved on the production of a solar panel vehicle called Sion, a five-seater crossover that should go into production in the summer to be on the market in 2024. Zero emissions because it is also battery-powered, but at a price of 29,900 euros “accessible to anyone” thanks to solar energy – captured by 456 semi-cells spread over the roof and sides of the car – which is free.
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These semi-cells, they say in Sono, would guarantee an extension of the autonomy of 305 kilometers (Wltp cycle) between 112 and 245 kilometers a week, allowing the user – they claim in Sono – to be able to recharge “up to four times in less” than those who drive an electric car of the same category with a similar battery. Sion’s has a capacity of 54 kWh and a 120 kW (163 horsepower) electric motor. It is 4.47 meters long and has a boot capacity of 650 litres, up to 1,250 in the two-seater configuration.
Sono Group isn’t the only one working on the solar car (rivals are called Lightyear, Solar City, Aptera Motors). Meanwhile, the Germans have obtained a loan of 1.46 million euros from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (Cinea) in Brussels, a sign of the seriousness of the project.
On January 17, the company announced it had 44,000 reservations for the Sion, including 21,000 private individuals as part of a communications campaign called #savesion. A way to make community and money to invest in the pre-series project tested on the road in Spain, more than 40 million euros so far received by fans according to the German company. The goal is to find at least another 100, or rather “104,650” as stated on the site, to “move 100% with renewable energy”, “reinvent mobility” and make a “climate-friendly revolution in Europe”.
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But since, it is known, the revolution is not a gala dinner, Sono makes big plans, working on solar cells and panels to be integrated into the various vehicle architectures, from cars to buses and trucks. The ambition is stated: “Sion has the potential to become the world’s first mass-accessible solar vehicle”. In times of high energy costs and economic uncertainties, the claim could already work.
