Jan 23, 2023 at 9:33 PM
It has been circulating since 2016 that the German Sono Motors will launch a compact and affordable electric car with solar panels for extra driving range: the Sion. This car is still not here. The Sion even had to be saved again via crowdfunding. Will we ever see the solar car on the road?
The most recent campaign leaves no doubt in terms of name: #savesion. In other words, if no money comes in, the solar car from Sono Motors is over. The company needs more than 105 million euros. To this end, the #savesion campaign was launched in December.
Last week, the company shared the latest state of affairs: more than 40 million euros have now been raised. According to Sono Motors, this shows that the market still has confidence in the Sion, which may convince investors.
On the reference date January 17, there were 44,000 reservations for the Zion. About 22,000 private individuals have made a deposit, the remaining 22,000 are business customers who have made a non-binding reservation.
It is not the first time that Sono Motors has turned to the general public for support. In 2019, 50 million euros was needed. That eventually came in, but not after the crowdfunding was extended and extra attention was paid to it. When the brand kicked off in 2016, money was also needed.
The solar panels are almost everywhere. Photo: Sono Motors
The Sion is not that cheap anymore
The Sono Motors Sion should have gone into production in 2018. Construction of the first units is now planned for the summer of 2023. The real series production should start in the first quarter of 2024. That is of course good news for the brand, but the delay also puts Sono Motors in a difficult position.
The Sion got their hands together in 2016 because it would become an affordable model. If you wanted a somewhat usable electric car at the time, you quickly ended up with a Tesla Model S costing more than 80,000 euros, while Sono Motors promised a car of 12,000 euros.
The prices of electric cars have now fallen considerably, but the Sion has become more expensive. In 2023, the car should cost 29,900 euros, which means that the price difference with the competition has been reduced to several hundred euros. In fact, you can get the new MG 4 Standard Range for less.
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A lot of car for your money
Rico Luman, senior economist transport, logistics & automotive at ING Research, expects the Sion from Sono Motors to still have a chance on the market. “More and more electric newcomers are entering the market, especially from Asian and Chinese brands. There is still enough space for smaller affordable electric cars.”
According to Luman, this is because the affordable part of the market will continue to grow, also because the well-known brands are currently focusing on larger and more expensive models. The Lightyear, the Dutch-made solar car, is also at the top end of the market. It is precisely that brand that announced on Monday that the Lightyear One, which costs 250,000 euros, has been canceled and that a deferment of payment has been requested for Atlas Technologies BV, the operational branch of the company.
The Sion is roughly the size of Kia Niro and is therefore in the so-called C-segment. “For a C-segment car, the Sion is competitively priced at 30,000. The combination with solar cells can reduce costs per kilometer. The model is also practically spacious and suitable for several people or a family. So you get a relatively large car for you money.”
Luman knows that a large group of private individuals drive no more than 15,000 kilometers per year in their own region. That could be a possible target group, especially with a purchase subsidy. If the Sion also becomes available via private lease, the transport economist sees “many opportunities” for the car.
Because of the square carriage, it can take a lot of luggage. Photo: Sono Motors
Real Icelandic moss in the interior
The Sono Motors Sion measures 4.47 meters in length and is (including mirrors) 2.08 meters wide. There is a battery pack of 54 kWh in the bottom, with which the Sion should be able to achieve a driving range of 305 kilometers.
Thanks to the solar panels, you get an extra 112 kilometers per week on average. Charging is of course also possible via the fast charger, which takes 35 minutes. You need 5 hours at a public charging point on the street. The drive is provided by a 120 kW (164 hp) strong electric motor, which helps the Sion to a top speed of 140 kilometers per hour. The luggage compartment is very large at 650 liters.
It is not only the solar panels that make the Sion stand out. At least as startling is that Sono Motors uses Icelandic moss for the air filtering of the interior. The moss is behind a clear plastic panel so you can see it.
Real Icelandic moss grows in the dashboard.Photo: Sono MotorsUnfortunately this content cannot be displayedWe do not have permission for the necessary cookies. Accept the cookies to view this content.
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