Sono Motors Sion: Solar car starts test production

The Sono Motors Sion is approaching series production. The solar-powered car from the Munich-based manufacturer is starting test production. The fleet of production validation vehicles will test the vehicle’s readiness for series production in the coming months.

Sono Motors Sion: test car production started

Munich-based Sono Motors announces that components, vehicle parameters and the final Sion design have been defined and test car production has started. The company aims to“revolutionize the future of solar-powered transportation”and is launching a fleet of production validation vehicles to test the Sono Motors Sion for production readiness.

In the coming months, the vehicle will then be extensively tested, validated and certified before the Solar Electric Vehicle (SEV) is scheduled to roll off the production line next year. All test cars will undergo uncompromising practical tests under extreme conditions in Europe and the USA.

“This includes testing in different climatic zones, the optimization of solar technology, the safeguarding plus tuning of driving dynamics on test tracks and in road traffic, as well as crash tests,” Sono Motors continues.

In total, the fleet consists of 37 third-generation Sion vehicles, divided into 16 complete vehicles and 21 experimental vehicles. The final design of the SEV has already been defined and is scheduled to be presented to the public in the summer of 2022.“At that time, some of the production validation vehicles are also expected to go on a Europe-wide test drive tour again.”

Sono Motors Sion for 28,500 euros gross

Intended for the Sono Motors Sion is a gross price of 28,500 euros, which makes it the most affordable solar electric car, according to the manufacturers. The vehicle’s outer skin will be made of 458 seamlessly integrated solar half-cells, which should allow for self-sufficient use, at least on short trips.

The energy generated by the solar cells will extend the range of the Sion’s 54-kWh LFP battery by an average of 112 km (up to 245 km) per week. “Commuters:inside metropolitan regions will thus ideally have to charge their Sion four times less than conventional electric cars in the same vehicle class with a similar battery size.”

Complementing the solar integration, the Sion has a bidirectional charging technology that can, for example, power electronic devices, the house or other electric cars with a power of up to 11 kW. If everything goes smoothly, the Sono Motors Sion is scheduled for series production in 2023.