Watch Out For World’s First Solar-Powered Mass Market Electric Car

Sion, a five-seater compact family electric car wrapped with 456 solar panels except the windows, is likely to enter the assembly line in the second half of 2023, the German start-up Sono has said. The vehicle was unveiled at Munich. The company is looking to produce more than 250,000 of the vehicles over the period of next seven years at a price of a little more than 25,000 Euros.

Proposing to solve the limitations in energy storage, conversion and weather, Sono has adopted a hybrid route. On one hand, to maximize energy output, the 450 “solar half-cells” can provide up to 70 miles of driving range per week, according to a press release. For longer driving needs, on the other, the vehicle comes equipped with a 54 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. This boasts of up to 190 miles of driving range on single charge. Together, the Sion’s driving range can be compared to a standard-range Tesla Model 3, read the press release.

The Sion’s primary selling point is that its solar power alone meets everyday-driving needs. Customised to weather in Munich, where Sono is headquartered, the solar cells on a Sion can clock 21 miles of driving range, enough for most commuters in Europe, who on average drive less than 12 miles a day, according to the European Commission.

The story is same with an average commuter in the U.S driving an average of 30 miles a day. The company looks at the U.S. as a market with “great growth potential,” said Jona Christians, Sono’s Cofounder and Co-CEO adding further, “Demand for EVs in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent years. Further international expansion is our clear long-term goal.”

This may not be suitable to Indian conditions where the length and breadth of many cities span two times as many as that of any western city. Depending upon the sales post production, the  company may think of separate units for south Asia. At present, Sono Motors already has 19,000 reservations for the Sion.