Sono Motors is doing its best to stay at the top of everyone’s newsfeed this week. In addition to announcing that it has received more than 20,000 reservations for its upcoming Sion solar electric vehicle, Sono Motors announced a new partnership to implement the solar upgrade on city buses. Additionally, automotive subscription platform FINN increased its previous reservation of Sion to 12,600 units, bringing Sono’s demand for solar electric vehicles to more than 32,000 units.
Sono Motors ($SEV) is a German automotive startup founded in 2016 and one of the few up-and-coming automakers with a specific focus on delivering solar electric vehicles and implementable solar cell technology. Thanks to the integration of exclusive solar panels on the exterior of its flagship model, the Sion, the SEV can harvest an additional range of 70 to 150 miles per week from the sun alone.
Sono Motors debuted the production design of the Sion solar electric vehicle at a celebratory event in July, which showcased several improvements to its design and functionality. As Sion nears production in the second half of 2023, anticipation continues to grow among European consumers and businesses.
Earlier this week, Sono Motor announced that its number of direct consumer bookings had exceeded 20,000. to more than 502.5 million euros if all these reservations materialize into purchases.
As if that weren’t enough, Sono Motors also announced a letter of intent to partner with ÖPNV-Service Hagen to help implement the former’s solar bus kit. ÖPNV-Service Hagen is expected to provide installation, maintenance and logistics services to support the modernization of the public transport sector with solar technology.
Today, Sono Motors announced a new agreement with a previous customer that further expands demand, and potentially the reach, for the startup’s Sion solar electric vehicle.
Sono lands order for 12,600 solar electric vehicles from Sion
Sono’s latest order for solar electric vehicles once again comes in the form of a signed letter of intent. The latest iteration of reservations comes from FINN – a Munich-based car subscription platform operating in both Germany and the United States, which also happens to be Sono Motors’ first B2B reservation holder, dating back to 2020.
FINN’s initial, non-binding reservation was for 5,500 Sion solar electric vehicles, but the subscription provider plans to increase that commitment to 12,600 SEVs to create a comprehensive fleet of sustainable vehicle offerings to its own customers. .
Thirty percent of FINN’s current fleet is electric, but it hopes to become more environmentally friendly with its increased order of solar electric vehicles from Sono Motors – it will just have to be patient. Although Sion production remains on track for 2023, Sono says it won’t deliver its first SEVs to FINN until 2024, with just 100 units left to start.
That being said, Sono Motors intends to deliver an additional 2,500 Sion vehicles to FINN each year thereafter, which should complete the current order by 2029 if all goes according to plan. Combined with the 20,000 consumer reservations already on the books, Sono Motors has the potential to deliver more than 32,000 solar electric vehicles to customers before the end of the decade.
While most likely not the first to market with an SEV, Sono Motors could very well deliver the world’s first mass-market solar power. We should have a better idea of delivery figures next year when production starts and reservations turn into concrete orders.
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