Sono Sion, the Affordable Solar Electric Car

In development for several years, the Sono Sion reveals its final version, capable of driving over 110 km per week with the help of solar panels.

Several projects have attempted to bring photovoltaic panel technology into automobiles. Toyota has installed them on certain versions of its Prius, but with an anecdotal contribution. The most efficient ones are more reserved for competitions like the Eco-Marathon Shell, but Lightyear One offered a real car for everyday use. Still, it is very expensive, costing around 150,000 euros.

5,800 km per year thanks to the sun

Thus, the Sono Sion is the only truly affordable solar car proposal. This 4.47-meter vehicle—close to a Nissan Leaf—was born in Munich, Germany, in 2016. To clarify, when we talk about a solar car, it remains an electric vehicle using solar technology to increase its range (or reduce dependence on charging). The Sion features a 120 kW electric motor (161 hp) and 270 Nm of torque. It is powered by a 54 kWh LFP battery to achieve 305 km of range. This is somewhat modest compared to a Renault ZOE (395 km with 52 kWh) or a Peugeot e-208 (362 km with 50 kWh).

The 456 photovoltaic cells integrated into the body—roof, doors, wings, hood—add extra energy. According to Sono, the solar part would provide an average of 112 km per week, or 5,800 km per year. The system can accept up to 245 km under optimal weather conditions.

Overall, the Sono Sion exceeds 400 km of range! The charging is bidirectional, up to 75 kW in DC and 11 kW in AC. It takes a maximum of 35 minutes to restore 80% of energy. For a full charge, the Sion requires 5 hours on a 7.4 kW outlet and 12 hours 30 minutes on a standard socket. In the reverse, the power is 11 kW to charge external devices.

First deliveries of the Sono Sion scheduled for late 2023

You can see the final car design, but it is still in development. “In the coming months, this vehicle generation will undergo extensive testing under extreme conditions in Europe and the United States,” Sono confirms, “including validation, homologation, crash tests, climate testing, optimization and protection of solar technology, as well as fine-tuning of road behavior on circuit and open road.” 

As a result, production will not start before the second half of 2023. The partner Valmet will handle this at its factory in Uusikaupunki, Finland, capable of producing 257,000 units annually. Despite these many phases, pre-orders for the Sono Sion have opened. The German manufacturer has already registered 19,000 orders since the start, with an average price of €25,000. This funding aims to raise €415 million and consolidate its activities. However, the price has increased to €29,900 today, excluding incentives.

Also read: Zem, the car that captures CO2