German self-charging solar car slated for 2018
Look out Elon Musk, a new player just entered the clean energy car race, and while they may not be as sleek or sexy as a brand new Tesla, but it’s promising something no electric car has: completely free renewable energy source.
Sono Motors is a Munich-based startup founded by three young people who simply wanted to do whatever they could to save the environment. Their love and dedication to that cause shines through on their company’s web page where they are offer an in-depth explanation of the Sion and just how different it is from any EV we’ve seen before. Without the deep pockets of major automakers or billions of investment dollars Tesla has, Sono Motors was able to raise $300,000 CAD through crowdfunding which will allow them to develop the prototype they need to bring the car to production in time for a 2018 delivery.
While the electric vehicles by bigger companies so far have addressed concern about the environment by reducing emissions, they still draw energy from the power grid like the rest of our electricity. The creators of the Sion are hoping you’ll be able to drive their car without having to charge it yourself most of the time.
As the company’s successful indiegogo campaign page explains, the Sion will come in two versions, one an “Urban” edition that features a low price tag of $17,000 and total range of 120km. The “Extender” model brings that range up to 250 km while only raising the price to about $25,000. While it won’t win any awards for highest range, it will undercut every electric vehicle out there for price-to-range ratio. Not even the Tesla Model 3 or Chevrolet Bolt is set to compete with prices that low.
And beyond that, the Sono will likely save you more money and time on charging as it can use its solar panels to recharge its battery. According to Sono, the panels can add up to 29 km of range per day. The average car is driven about 20 km per day. With enough sun, you could drive the car for days without needing to plug in and not be worried about getting stranded on the road without power.
You can preorder the Sion now and get discounts of 5% - 12% off the final price.