German solar-powered car in pre-sale, to be in customers’ hands next year: Sono Motor’s Sion uses PV to generate clean electricity while the car is driving

By Jonny Bairstow, Wednesday 22 August 2018

A German start-up has launched a series of trials to test its new solar-powered car.

Sono Motors’ Sion is an electric vehicle (EV) with one important difference – 330 solar cells built into its doors, bonnet and roof aim to do away with the range anxiety often associated with battery-powered transport.

In case it isn’t sunny or the car needs to be charged at night, it can also be powered from conventional EV charging points.

Production of the Sion is planned to begin in 2019, with the company having already taken more than 6,500 pre-orders at a price of €16,000 (£14,400), excluding the battery unit.