Solar car not saved yet
Report: E-car startup Sono receives EU funds
1/20/2023 3:04 p.m
The program for the solar car Sion has been struggling with financing problems since it started. The money-making reservation campaign runs out at the end of January; a pre-series was actually planned for this year. With fresh EU funds, the leading start-up is getting some air.
Troubled solar car startup Sono Motors is reportedly receiving money from the European Union. The EU Commission contributed 1.4 million euros from the Horizon Europe program, reported the “Spiegel” without citing sources. Sono has received a total of 3.3 million euros in funding since it was founded in 2016. However, the money should not be enough to secure the future of the Sion solar car.
Sono Motors launched a last-ditch rescue attempt for its first car in December, launching a 3,500-vehicle reservation campaign that will run through the end of January. Of the more than 100 million euros that are to be collected in this way, Sono has only collected just under 44 million euros so far. Sono co-founder Laurin Hahn told the “Spiegel” that the company was in talks to “fill up a significant part of the missing funds with investor funds”.
Pre-series construction planned for this year
If enough money is raised, Sono plans to build a pre-series this year, and the cars are to be produced on a larger scale from 2024. The Sion should come onto the market at a price of around 30,000 euros and produce at least part of the necessary electricity from its own solar cells. In addition to the vehicle project, Sono also offers its solar cell technology for commercial vehicles. This business should continue even if the Sion fails.
The Sono has 456 solar cells on the body, which according to Sono Motors provide electricity for an average of 112 kilometers per week. With a battery and electricity from the socket, the car should have a range of a good 300 kilometers.