Sono Motors Sion: solar car in production form

The production version of the Sion looks a lot more serious than the prototype. This is mainly due to the headlights, which no longer have an arc shape at the top. Instead, the headlights are rectangular and have an L-shaped LED strip for the daytime running lights. A straight line separates the bonnet and the front bumper, immediately below is the loading opening with the Sono Motors logo in the middle: a circle with a dot in the middle.

As a result of the changes to the front, the Sion’s design looks a bit more cohesive than before, especially as the car was already more angular on the sides and rear. Seen from behind and from the side, the production version of the Sion resembles the prototype like two drops of water, with the 456 integrated solar cells in particular standing out. A number of style elements only change at a detailed level. For example, at the bottom of the rear bumper of the production version, there are thin horizontal lines and the door handles have been given a different shape, whereby they look more integrated.

Sono Motors Sion

Inside the Sion, the striking illuminated trim, which runs over almost the entire width of the dashboard, is maintained. Sion did change the design of the front seats, the rear seat and the steering wheel. The production version also gets a wider center console with a lot of storage space. There are two screens on top of the dashboard: one serves as an information display for the driver, the other is a touchscreen. Furthermore, an almost total lack of buttons characterizes the interior of the Sion. According to Sono Motors, you can choose from various moldings and colors for the interior, but the start-up does not specify which ones.

Production start of Sono Motors Sion

Technically, the specifications of the earlier Sion are maintained. The car has an LFP battery with a capacity of 54 kWh, with which a range of 305 kilometers should be possible. According to Sono Motors, the solar cells can add an average of 112 kilometers of range per week, with a maximum of 245 kilometers. If the sun does not supply enough energy, you can charge the Sono on a fast charger with a charging speed of up to 75 kW. You can charge it with a maximum of 11 kW at a charging station.

Sono Motors says it is currently starting to build the first copies of the Sion to carry out further testing and obtain approval for series production. Production should start at Valmet in Finland in the second half of 2023. The Sion can currently be reserved for €29,900 on the Sono Motors website. The start-up says it has already received 19,000 orders. In any case, the goals are ambitious, because Sono Motors wants to have built 257,000 copies of the Sion within seven years of production start.