Governments and automakers worldwide are promoting electric vehicles because they believe it is the solution to reducing CO2 emissions. However, there is an urgent need to improve and expand charging infrastructures to aid driver anxiety and eventually increase EV uptake.
Having said that, the German EV startup Sono Motors is on an innovative mission to hasten the mobility revolution with its Sion crossover EV. It might debut as soon as next year, and it is likely to arrive on US roads as well.
Yahoo Finance reported that the Sion uses 456 solar half-cells built into its body panels to collect energy from the sun and use it to recharge the battery of the vehicle.
We previously reported Sono’s intentions to introduce the Sion in Europe in 2023 for €29,900 ($AU43,600), which is around €20,000 ($AU29,000) cheaper than the well-known Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle in its entry-level form.
Last month, we also covered Sono’s recent breakthrough when FINN increased its earlier Sion non-binding reservation from 5,500 to 12,600 units.
“We’ve brought [the Sion for] first time to the US, firsthand, first day here,” Sono Motors CEO Laurin Hahn told Yahoo Finance at an event outside the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square.
“Incredible car, $25,000, family-friendly, affordable, solar cells in the whole car body – it’s recharging itself [right now]. And it’s really meant to be that mass-market electric vehicle.”
However, it should be emphasized that solar charging is only viable if the car can absorb significant energy from the sun. In response, CEO Han explained that the regular US commuter travels 12 miles every day, which can be covered by Sion’s offering.
