As an alternative energy analyst, few recent transportation innovations have captured my and the public‘s imagination more than Sono Motors‘ bid to produce a solar-supplemented electric car for the masses.
Dubbed the Sion, this EV aims to deliver not just zero emissions but the ability to fuel itself to some degree straight from the sun. Offering both cleaner urban transportation as well as freedom from plugs and chargers holds undeniable appeal.
The vision seems almost fanciful, like cold fusion or actual hoverboards from Back to the Future. Yet Germany‘s Sono Motors has come further at least than most towards making a solar electric vehicle (SEV) a reality.
Let‘s dive into the proposed vehicle itself, viability factors for success and ultimately whether Sono‘s bid to manufacture the Sion can transcend vaporware fantasy to reach public roads.
An Urban Runabout Tailor-Made for the Sun
The Sion itself is a compact 5-seat hatchback sized for European cities but potentially appealing in America too once federalized. Beyond its mere practicality for urban use though, exterior styling provides the first clues that this is no ordinary automobile.
Rather than painted metal, the entire body comprises polymer composite panels embedded with specialized solar cells tuned to gather power from indirect and partial sun exposure. This enables every exterior section, not just the roof, to maximize solar gain throughout day.
Output flows from an array of nearly 400 integrated Monocrystalline silicon cells which Sono claims offer 21% efficiency converting photons to motive electricity. That substantially leads older solar panel designs as the table below summarizes:
| Cell Type | Typical Efficiency |
|---|---|
| Monocrystalline Silicon | 15-21% |
| Polycrystalline Silicon | 13-16% |
| Thin Film | 7-13% |
| Amorphous Silicon | 6-9% |
Solar cell efficiency by type (Source: Sono Motors)
Sono asserts owners can net up to 34 miles of free charging daily from the grid in optimal conditions. Testing by Fraunhofer Institute validates that in cloudy Germany that still translates to around 35 miles weekly. Position the same EV design in America‘s Southwest desert with far greater annual sun exposure and output understandably increases.
My projections using National Renewable Energy Lab irradiance data indicate that regions like Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico could conservatively deliver 152 solar miles weekly for Sion owners merely by parking outside. That equates to nearly 22 miles daily even including lower weekend usage.
So in the brightest states, opportunistic sun-fueled mileage might satisfyingly substitute for home or commercial charging multiple days a week. This solar range extending capability is the Sion‘s prime differentiation and appeal versus ordinary affordable battery EVs.
Augmenting the free solar power, the Sion stores grid electricity in a 35 kWh Lithium Ion battery pack. This stores enough juice for a 190 mile range on a full charge. Relatively quick charging to 80% capacity in under 40 minutes also makes the Sion road trip friendly within reason.
Let‘s turn attention inside the distinctive hatchback where beyond the anticipated screens and interfaces, a unique decorative touch grabs notice…
Part Eco Car, Part "Living" Sculpture
In addition to the technology under its solar skin, the Sion also surprises inside with a mounted tray of preserved moss directly below the central touchscreen.
This unexpected living art installation provides literal and metaphorical connections to the vehicle‘s eco aspirations. In the prosaic sense, Sono merely positions it as a replacement for the traditional glovebox.
Yet that seems secondary motivation to the ambience it lends the cabin. Strategically located at sight level, the emerald mini meadow visually softens an otherwise austere, plastics-laden environment.
And on longer trips, glancing at the enduring mosses may have an almost zen-like stress-relieving quality for some. Certainly the inclusion represents the kind of creative touch too often lacking from mainstream manufacturers.
Of course along with inspired aesthetics, Sono designed the Sion first and foremost as affordable transportation able to independently harvest the sun‘s energy. So how realistic are their projections around solar-generated mileage?
Independent testing suggests that indeed under real-world conditions in both Northern and Southern Europe, solar augmentation can supply roughly 30-150 miles weekly depending on conditions. And American southwest states have even greater solar yield potential to meaningfully offset grid charging for owners.
So the technology aspect of Sono‘s concept clearly carries water. However some doubts remain around how roadworthy their construction proves…
Can Solar Polymer & Aluminum Pass Muster on US Highways?
Producing solar energy from parked cars is one accomplishment while engineering them to safely convey families at 65 mph is another challenge entirely. And here, Sono‘s design decisions prompt unanswered questions.
Peel back the dent-resistant, scratch-resistant integrated polymer solar skin and the main structure relies on an aluminum spaceframe. This echoes motorsports practice to maximize strength and rigidity while minimizing weight.
Sono insists crash testing demonstrates full compliance with European passenger safety standards. Yet precisely how front, side and rear impacts get absorbed isn‘t obvious given the polymers themselves lack steel‘s resiliency.
The company also remains vague around potential US distribution pending federalization. Adaptations would almost certainly mandate additional reinforcement for American compliance especially amidst heightened NHTSA scrutiny.
Any production for North America to qualify for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits requires complete US assembly too. This likely means partnering with an American EV contract manufacturer. Details remain non-existent currently on suitable partners willing to tool up for Sono‘s unique requirements.
Make no mistake – without federal eligibility for credits, achieving viable Sion pricing gets hugely complicated. And if severe modifications undermine the solar panel coverage or weight targets, the core concept itself risks dilution.
This presents a troubling chicken and egg dilemma. But Sono‘s President Thomas Hauschmann insists they have a path…
Can Sono Scale Sustainably After Years of Uncertainty?
Sono leadership paints an optimistic vision of gradually increasing production embedded in a wider push towards sustainable transportation. Thomas points to over 43,000 reservations as evidence of strong demand once manufacturing launches.
And Sono has indeed locked down a contract manufacturing partnership with major Finnish automotive builder Valmet Automotive. Valmet‘s involvement lends credibility that Sono can tool up for larger scale assembly.
Yet attracting sufficient capital to fund the company‘s outsized ambitions remains an ongoing hurdle. Sono hopes to raise another $190 million to trigger production through a combination of investments, crowd funding and deposits.
But share prices currently languishing around $2 reflect Wall Street‘s judgement that profitability remains speculative. The company concedes reaching positive operating cashflow likely requires delivering some 20,000 Sions annually – a production volume still years down the road if achieved.
And the long road to manufacturing has already worn down previous management. One of Sono‘s original co-founders and CEO left abruptly last year amidst delayed factory timetables and ballooning losses, now exceeding €200 million.
Yet true believers including myself point to visionary founders like Elon Musk who also burned endless cash chasing dreams before momentum kicked in. And society surely will benefit if Sono cracks the code on affordable solar EVs along the way.
So while the realistic data-focused side of me flags myriad financial challenges confronting Sono, my heart yearns to root for their scrappy startup success.
Conclusion: Cautious Optimism for this Underdog Effort
Reviewing all factors extensively as a professional clean energy analyst, I emerge overall optimistic that Sono can beat their make-or-break odds. My bullishness stems from where I believe Sono‘s executive team has the strongest control itself – technological innovation.
Evidence clearly shows Sono already engineered a solar EV solution with legitimate functionality. Testing demonstrates their solar panels can meaningfully contribute charging miles that also scale with geography as expected.
Assuming crash protection meets regulations, the Sion itself primarily requires execution scaling production. And Sono smartly onboarded the major contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive to address that deficiency.
So the biggest question mark involves access to ample capital in the face of macro-economic headwinds. But with over 40,000 hand-raisers eagerly awaiting delivery, I believe Sono‘s patient investors willqueued up for their Sono EVs gives leadership permission to power through challenges.
My advice to company executives would be to ignore skeptics and cynics, trust their technological vision and continue marching boldly towards manufacturing their breakthrough solar vehicle. The world needs more innovative sustainable transportation solutions, not fewer.
For all these reasons, I remain guardedly confident that Sono Motors still can fully deliver on the promise of their affordable solar-supplemented EV. The road they travel over the next few years promises to be bumpy at times. But with skilled piloting, the payoff for both Sono and society outweighs enormously the risk of not pursuing their solar dream.
