Sono Motors the german solar EVs startup is currently on tour across the US. The company received over 40,000 pre-orders and reservations for its solar vehicle, the Sion, in Europe. Will Sono Motors achieve similar success in the USA?
During this tour, the Founders will evaluate whether the US could be a good market for the Sion. The Sion is quite a small size vehicle for US standards. There is, however, another opportunity in the US for this startup. It is Sono Motors’ integrated solar technology, that could be installed on several types of vehicles and help reduce emissions.
The integrated solar technology made of solar panels that could be fitted on buses, trucks, trailers, and other vehicles is currently tested with over 20 partners, including a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Europe, MAN Truck & Bus, CHEREAU, Kögel, and the Munich municipal bus system.
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According to Sono Motors, the integrated solar system could help reduce fuel consumption. The figures are quite impressive, considering that the solar panels can only power the auxiliary systems. For instance, buses save up to 1,500 liters of fuel per year by using this system.
Sono Motors while in the US also signed a partnership agreement with Sibros. Sibros’ Deep Over-the-Air (OTA) Connected Vehicle Systems is quite innovative. The OTA manages software updates, data collection, and diagnostics in a single system.
Sion’s software updates, data collection, and remote interactions will be handled directly by Sibros. By doing this, the german carmaker will have direct insight into vehicle data and fleet analytics and the ability to reduce maintenance and service costs, while also diagnosing and fixing potential problems before they compromise vehicle capabilities, including malware hacks and other cybersecurity issues.
Sono Motors’ Sion will start production in the second half of 2023. It will be very interesting to see the interest of the US market for this kind of vehicle as the demand for affordable EVs will considerably grow in the next couple of years.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com –In the Featured Photo: Sono Motors Sion in Times Square NYC. All photos credit: Sono Motors.
