Affordable electric driving thanks to the Sono Sion

In our previous blog article, we focused on five affordable electric cars. These vehicles had in common that they will be released in 2020 and each have a purchase price of less than 25.000 euros. 

A car that will also be released next year, but falls just above this border, is the Sono Sion. That name may sound exotic, but it is really a thoroughbred German. If this name does not ring a bell, that is not surprising. The Sion is namely the first car of the start-up Sono Motors. 

'Solar-powered' vehicle

The first Sono Sion is expected to roll off the production line in the second half of 2020. You can already order it now. What is special about this car is not so much the range of 225 km, but that the battery is partly powered by solar panels. These panels cover 7,5 m² and are not only on the roof and hood, but all around the car. By launching the car next year, the Sono Sion will beat the Lightyear One, which also features solar panels but is not due to be released until mid-2021.

Solar panel profits limited

Although innovative, the solar panels do not increase the range of the car enormously. Under ideal conditions, the panels will take you 34 km further, but on an average day the gain is only 10 kilometers.

Made in Sweden

The Sono Sion has been in the making for about seven years. Halfway through 2018, the required number of pre-orders of 5000 units was reached, after which it was decided to put the car into production. That will happen in the course of 2020. The car will be produced in Sweden, in the former SAAB factory. A total of 10.000 units have already been ordered and the manufacturer expects sales of 260.000 units in eight years.

Buy, rent or lease your battery pack

The chance that you will see a Sono Sion driving around on Dutch roads (at the end of) next year is considerable. The manufacturer sees the Netherlands as an important sales market and has also opted for a smart pricing strategy. The 'bare' car, without battery pack, costs 16.000. You can purchase the battery pack for an additional 9.500 euros, which brings the purchase price of the Sono Sion to 25.500 euros. But you can also rent or lease the energy source, which makes the purchase a lot less painful for your wallet.

Wolf in sheep's clothes

The Sono Sion's performance is no slouch either. Thanks to 163 hp and 290 Nm of torque available immediately, this five-seater, which certainly doesn't look fast, sprints from 0 to 100 in nine seconds. For comparison: the Volkswagen e-Golf takes a good half a second longer.

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Do you see yourself driving around in the Sono Sion? Or will you limit yourself to solar panels on the roof of your house for now?