german electric car start-up sono motors has revealed the crowd funded prototype of its battery and solar-powered vehicle ‘sion’. one of the selling points of the design is its lightweight structure, which means it requires less solar power to propel it further. additional features include a 10-inch center touchscreen and a bi-directional charging technology.

 

‘thanks to the technology of bi-directional charging the sion can not only generate but also provide energy. this feature turns the car into a mobile power station. using a household plug, all common electronic devices with up to 2,7kw can be powered by the sion. you can plug in your electronic devices and power them with the sions battery. over a type 2 plug the sion can provide even more power with up to 7,6 kw.’
sono motors unveils solar and battery-powered electric car

 

 

‘the sion is equipped with 330 integrated solar cells, which recharge the battery through the power of the sun. to protect them from harmful environmental influences we covered the solar cells with polycarbonate. it is shatterproof, light and particularly weather resistant. under proper conditions the solar cells generate enough energy, to cover 30 kilometers per day with the sion. we call this system visono.’

 

this equals 18 miles of range added the vehicle’s, 50 miles (80 km) range for the version with a 14.4 kwh battery pack and 120 miles (193 km) for the version with a 30 kwh battery pack. the battery is sold separately from the car with an available option to rent it also. the current price is €16,000 (~$18,000 USD), but buyers would have to pay an estimated additional €4,000 (~$4,500 us) to acquire the battery pack or pay a monthly fee. the company are now targeting production in 2019 and taking pre-orders right now via their website.