This solar EV doesn’t need charging!
Globally, EVs have become quite popular. According to a recent survey, most people don’t buy EVs for low emissions, but rather for their low cost of running. So, how about an EV that doesn’t need charging? Yes, we are talking about a solar EV. Sono Motors is a German start-up that is working on a solar car called the Sion. The Sion comes with solar panels that give it some extra range. How extra of a range are we talking about and what all with this EV offer? In today’s article, let’s talk about this solar electric car.
Specifications
The Sion comes with 456 solar cells. Almost all the flat surfaces of the Sion come with solar panels: the hood, the fenders etc. The front doesn’t get solar panels as they will be expensive to repair in case of an accident. All these solar panels combined give it a range of around 112 kilometres every week. These figures can change depending upon the availability of the Sun. What about its electrical battery? The Sion comes with a 54kWh battery pack having a claimed range of 305km on the WLTP cycle.
With a 112km free range available every week, a buyer can technically use his car for short trips within the city, without having to charge it ever. However, if you drain out the free solar range, the battery pack can act as a backup.
Sono Sion solar electric car – Dimensions & Design
Unlike other such cars, the Sion is a big car. It is 4290mm in length, 1830mm in width, and 1670mm in height. It sits on a wheelbase of 2770mm. Now let’s talk about the design. The Sion gets an MPV-like design. We have a sloping roofline which will is expected to reduce the drag coefficient. The front fascia gets big LED headlamps & a closed-off grille. Overall the Sion gets a simple design with solar patches on various parts.
Interior & features
The Sion gets a minimalistic dashboard design with a floating 10-inch infotainment system in the middle. It also has a floating instrument cluster. However, the biggest highlight of the interiors is the moss on the dashboard, which the brand calls BreSono. According to Sono motors, moss can improve air quality by filtering up to 20% of air particulates. The BrenSono doesn’t require extra care and can also modulate the humidity inside the cabin. Other features include cruise control, heated front seats, reverse camera, etc.
Sono Sion solar electric car – Will it be a success?
Sono is quite sure that this car will be a success. The initial response is also good with over 20,000 bookings as of 1st September 2022. What about its pricing? Sono has said the asking price for the Sion is €25,126 which translates to about 20 lakhs Indian rupees. The Sion’s production is expected to commence in the second half of 2022. Sono aims to produce 2,57,000 Sion vehicles within seven years.
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