Sono Motors solar-powered EV hatchback first ride: Here comes the Sion
and I rode in the Sion – not together – and I spoke with Sono COO Thomas Hausch about the company’s plans and why the brand and car’s names are so similar to both an audio company and a defunct auto brand.While I haven’t encountered the Lightyear 0 in person, it’s clear from seeing and riding in the Sion why it costs much less.
The solar cells generate from 70 miles to 152 miles per week environs, adding to the Sion's range of 190 miles – enough for “full self-sufficiency on short distances,” said Sono. Otherwise, the Sion’s liquid-cooled 54-kWh battery pack can be energized from 0% to 80% in about 35 minutes at a DC fast-charging station. With a Level 2 charger at 240 volts, it takes four hours to reach the same capacity.
Sion sells an 11-kWh wall box home charger with bi-directional capability, allowing the car’s battery to serve as power storage to run a home for up to five days, according to Sono. The car can also be used for portable juice while tailgating, camping or on a construction site or even charge other EVs at up to 11 kW.
Inside the Sion looks and feels like an entry-level electric vehicle but is surprisingly roomy. It has all the interior bits you’d expect, such as a 10-inch dashboard screen. And something you wouldn’t: a thin, dashboard compartment with a transparent cover filled with green moss. The in-dash vegetation is designed to purify interior air and can be replaced with a conventional air filter.
The Sion is also quick, at least with Scheckenbach behind the wheel whipping it around a Silicon Valley parking lot during a demo drive – cutting off a pesky Prius that got in the way. Scheckenbach pointed out the dashboard screen displaying in real time how the solar panels charged the battery under the bright California sun.The Sion will be available in Europe the second half of 2023 and can be purchased directly from Sono.
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