Sono Motors are on a bit of a European tour at the moment with their car, Sion. I caught up with the tour in Maastricht to finally see their prototype cars in the metal, and take one for a little indoor test drive.
Sion is the first electric car capable of charging its battery from the sun, with 330 solar panels integrated into the body panels capable of generating up to 30km range in a day in proper conditions.
Not only that, but the Sion features bidirectional charging, meaning that the car can provide energy to other vehicles and common electrical devices via a Type-2 connection or standard 2-pin EU plug connection.
A battery capacity of between 35kWh and 45kWh (tbc) provides max power of 80kW (109 horses) to a 3-phase asynchronous motor, generating a top speed of 140km/h, and a real-world range of 250km. It accelerates from 0–100km/h in around 9 seconds.
Charging is via standard 2-Pin EU plug at 3.7kW, AC Type-2 at 11kW (2.5 hours to 80% capacity), or DC CCS Rapid-Charging at 50kW (30 minutes to 80% capacity.)
The Sion has a kerb weight of 1,400kg and is capable of towing up to 750kg, which is great news when so many EVs on the market at the moment do not come “tow-ready.”
The shape of the car is unusual, sitting fairly low to the ground in person. The front half is reminiscent of the BMW i3, but with strange headlights (that are due to change in the final production version), whereas the back has a boxy height with a hint of Prius+.
The interior is minimalistic, with a 10-inch infotainment screen and not too many excessive buttons. A lot of the interior parts on the prototype cars are recognisable as borrowed from the BMW i3, but this is likely to change with the final production model.
The most fantastically bizarre part of the interior design is the air filtration system (dubbed the breSono) which is a special type of moss that has been integrated into the dashboard. The moss is capable of filtering up to 20% of dust particles through electrostatic attraction, as well as help to regulate cabin humidity. You do not need to water the moss or give it any special care.
I am going to be honest with you… I am pretty obsessed with this moss.
The prototype model is very clearly a work in progress, and this shows in the driving experience too. The footwell is quite cramped (I am assured it will be modified in the production version) and the steering firmness is inconsistent at different lock positions. The turning circle is great and the regeneration is strong, making for confident one-pedal driving in most scenarios.
Moss aside, one of the most interesting things about the Sion is the price point. The car is €16,000 without battery (option to lease), or €20,000 with battery included. This is a very competitive price compared to vehicles with similar offerings in terms of size, range, and charging capabilities.
Currently (as I type) there are 7165 reservations placed on the Sion, with first cars due to arrive towards the end of 2019. You can reserve one for a minimum of €500 via the Sono Motors website. Unfortunately for UK friends, there is no solid news on RHD as of yet.
Read more posts by Beth Lily in Electric vehicles only on DriveTribe the new website by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
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