Sono Sion: the solar car will not see the light of day

This time, the Sion is finally gone. Due to lack of funding, Sono had to give up on their solar car project.

The rescue operation initiated at the end of last year therefore did not succeed. Sono, the German startup aiming to launch an affordable solar car, throws in the towel and permanently abandons the Sion. The company is not disappearing completely. It is now focusing on developing photovoltaic equipment for transportation professionals. According to Sono Motors, 23 companies already use its technology worldwide, on buses, refrigerated vehicles, or recreational vehicles. Mitsubishi Europe, CHEREAU, Scania, and MAN are among its clients.

This change of direction will result in a significant reduction in costs. The impact it will have on the workforce has not been detailed by the young manufacturer.

Solar car, a somewhat misleading name

More than a true solar car, the Sono Sion was an electric vehicle with a battery that used solar energy to provide a little extra range. A similar technology principle is found in the startup Lightyear, which also has abandoned its first model before it even entered production.

The Sono Sion was expected to be sold for around €30,000. Equipped with a 54 kWh battery, it could theoretically travel 305 km on a charge. According to Sono’s calculations, the solar panels added an average of 110 km of autonomy per week. This estimate is probably somewhat optimistic and, with the project abandoned, can no longer be verified.

Sono was hoping to rely on support from future customers willing to pay without delay. The manufacturer set a goal of 3,500 firm orders before the end of the month. However, the fundraising campaign was a resounding failure and did not even reach its conclusion.

Also read: Electric, pedal-powered, and solar: the REAL urban car?