Sono Motors Sion Solar-Powered EV Can Be Yours for $34,000

January 14, 2021

Kunal Kejriwal

Sono Motors brings solar power to the EV segment.

Sono Motors, a German EV startup, recently unveiled its latest MPV prototype at the virtual CES 2021 event, marketing it as a solar car “you can really afford.” Sono Motors has named the family car Sion, and it is powered by a 35 kWh battery with up to 158 miles of range on a single charge.

The Sion has fast-charging support and can go from 0-80% in just 30 minutes at a charging station. It also features a bidirectional-onboard charger enabling it to share its power with other vehicles in need. It is powered by a motor producing 160 hp and up to 200 lb-ft of torque, good enough to reach a top speed of 87 mph and tow up to 1,653 lb.

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However, what sets the Sono Motors Sion apart are the 248 photovoltaic cells embedded in the vehicle’s doors, hood, roof, and hatch, engineered to trap enough energy during the day to provide the vehicle with 20 miles of extra range.

Unfortunately, the range would heavily depend on weather conditions. The basic idea behind adding these solar cells is that, while they obviously aren’t enough to power the Sion alone, they can still charge the battery a bit while just standing in a parking lot or stuck in daily traffic. After all, some more range won’t hurt anyone, right?

Solar energy is considered one of the cleanest sources of renewable power, and it’s readily available. The amount of solar energy hitting Earth every hour is nearly equal to the total amount of power humans consume during an entire year. The best part: it’s free! We just need the proper infrastructure, and all this free power is up for grabs.

Sono Motors also announced that it would license these solar panels to be used by other manufacturers in the future. For instance, EasyMile is expected to be the first company to use these photovoltaic cells in its electric vehicles.

So, prepare yourself; if proven successful, we might be seeing many car manufacturers incorporating solar panels as range-extenders for their EVs soon.