The Reason We Exist
Section 3 of our company’s foundation agreement states: “The company’s highest standard shall be the protection of the environment, nature, and people. All of the company’s products, actions, and investments must be based on this underlying principle.”
So the purpose of Sono is clear: We want to be a role model for facilitating individual mobility while at the same time preserving what matters most to us. To this end, a continuously growing team of engineers, designers, technicians, and industry experts develops and builds future-oriented electric cars suitable for everyday use with integrated solar cells and innovative mobility services. Our proprietary solar technology was developed in order to provide for seamless integration in all types of vehicles, reduce carbon emissions, and pave the way for climate-friendly mobility.
Our Mission
Our mission is to accelerate the revolution of mobility by making every vehicle solar. A world without fossil fuels – that is the vision of the three friends who founded Sono Motors in 2016.
#Community OEM
We are not looking to conduct transactions that only benefit a chosen few. Our community of backers and reservation holders is a vital part of everything we do. Those people are the beating heart of our company. Without their support, we would not be where we are today. Our community’s opinion is an integral element of Sono Motors. The community even has its own representative on our supervisory board: Sebastian Böttger. The people in our community have walked every step of the way so far by our side – and it has been a long way! – and will continue to do so in the future.
Learn More About Our Community
How We Work
As a company, we seek to go against traditional workplace structures in order to create a safe and encouraging work environment.
22,727
Sion reservations (Updated monthly on the 1st)
100%
Production using 100% renewable energy
18,000
More than 18,000 prototype test drives in 65 european cities
257,000
257,000 Sion will be produced
2016
Driven by a vision, the company was founded in 2016 by three friends
2021
We went public in 2021
Our goal is to establish large-scale, smart e-mobility and sharing thereby making a significant contribution to the reduction of global CO2 emissions.Over the past months and years, we have been able to achieve a number of important milestones. Read our story.
July 2022
Sono Motors presents Sion production design and Solar Bus Kit
On 25 July 2022, the time had finally arrived. We unveiled the Sion’s production design at our Community event ‘Celebrate the Sun’. At the same time we also presented our new Solar Bus Kit which, as a retrofit solution, is intended to reduce fuel consumption and inner-city greenhouse gas emissions. Both premieres are important steps on our way to making low-cost and easily accessible solar mobility possible for the masses.
April 2022
A partnership for the future - Valmet Automotive x Sono Motors
The Sion will be produced in the heart of Europe by Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland. Start of production is planned for the second half of 2023, and after a ramp-up phase of several months, annual production of around 43,000 Sion is planned. Our goal is to produce 257,000 Sion within seven years. As a certified CO2 neutral company, Valmet Automotive follows a sustainable mission statement. Combined with over fifty years of experience in vehicle manufacturing, the company is the perfect partner for the production of the Sion.
November 2021
Sono Motors Goes Public
After several funding rounds in which the community actively supported us, we succeeded in going public in November 2021. As a listed company, we now secure the necessary investments to get the Sion on the road. We are listed on NASDAQ on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SEV.
September 2021
Sono Motors Announces Affordable Bidirectional Wallbox
Our wallbox is the next logical step on the way to a world independent of fossil fuels. It turns the Sion into a decentralized energy storage unit that can be accessed at will. Unlike other wall-mounted charging stations, the Sono wallbox does not require an inverter, as this is already integrated into the Sion. This makes it significantly more affordable.
July 2021
Sibros to Power the Connected Vehicle Ecosystem for Sion
We teamed up with Sibros, a pioneer of Over-the-Air (OTA) Connected Vehicle Systems. Through the collaboration, the Californian company will provide end-to-end software and data management solutions for the Sion. Its future software updates, data collection and remote interactions will be handled by the Sibros Deep Connected Platform, giving us direct insight into vehicle data and fleet analytics, while also diagnosing and fixing potential problems before they compromise vehicle capabilities including malware hacks and other cybersecurity issues.
June 2021
Sion With a More Powerful 54 Kwh Battery
In June 2021, we announced that we will equip the Sion with a more powerful 54 kWh battery. The new battery increases the current range of the Sion to up to 305 km and increases the maximum charging power to up to 75 kW. It also forgoes the use of cobalt, nickel and manganese. Our Community surveys have shown that over 90% of members would like a battery with more range and a higher charging capacity.
January 2021
The Future of Solar Mobility
We are committed to the vision of a world without fossil fuels, in which sustainable mobility is accessible and affordable for everyone. In line with this vision, we have developed a platform to further advance the integration of solar cells into vehicles. A truck trailer with photovoltaics represents the next stage of our solar technology. It highlights the many potential applications of the technology and challenges our historical dependence on traditional internal combustion engines.
January 2021
Sion Prototype Reveal at the Consumer Electronics Show 2021
Our first time at the Consumer Electronics Show was a truly special moment for us. We are very happy that we received so many exciting reactions and questions from people all over the world.
We have already installed parts into our prototype that are intended for series production. These either come from series suppliers or are near-series components. This is a big step forward for us, especially since this enables us to successfully implement the electric drive unit, the chassis, and the MPPT Central Unit, which are all intended for series production. In addition, all straight and curved exterior parts of the Sion are equipped with solar panels.
December 2020
Series C Funding Round Secured With €45 Million
In December 2020, we accomplished another funding milestone. Despite a year full of global challenges, we succeeded in securing another funding round. An additional 45 million euros of investment by Swedbank Robur and DNCA Invest and some other investors, has enabled us to create further prerequisites for series production.
December 2020
Sono Insights Live – Journey of 2020
We took a look back on an exciting year on YouTube with our Community. During the event, we recollected the events of 2020 and explained how we mastered the challenges posed by the pandemic, especially with regard to the completion of the prototypes. We also gave exciting insights into the production of our new generation of prototypes.
January 2020
Community Funding: Over 53 Million Euros
With the help of over 13,000 supporters and more than 53 million euros, we have exceeded Community funding campaign goal to finance our next steps. In 50 days, a daily average of one million euros flowed into the campaign. This is a strong signal for us that our we are going in the right direction. Thank you!
August 2019
Sion – Ready to Be Shared
At a time of ever-increasing equipment variations, we focus on the essentials in the co*ckpit of the Sion, namely functionality and intuitive operation. The Sion interior design takes into account the diversity of the vehicle’s usage with an appropriately robust and hard-wearing interior.
May 2019
10,000 Sion Reservations
In June last year, we reached our milestone of 5,000 reservations. Today, just over a year later, this number has doubled. Ten thousand people showing their commitment to the responsible treatment of our planet and climate-friendly mobility through their reservation of the Sion. Thank you for your support!
March 2019
Sion – Designed With You
The announcement of the series design was one of our most important milestones. A feature that shapes the design is the full-surface integration of the solar modules into the bodywork. In the series vehicle, the solar cells will meld seamlessly into the vehicle's surface and can generate up to 245 km (112 km on average) of additional range per week. Compared to the prototypes, the series version of our Solar Electric Vehicle (SEV) will be larger, longer and wider – for more interior space and comfort. Additional rear side windows ensure optimal all-round visibility.
November 2018
Continental to Build the Sion’s Motor
Continental, the world’s second largest automotive supplier, is partnering with Sono Motors to build the Sion’s motor. In addition to the motor, the Sion’s drive unit consists of the power electronics and the transmission. Their integration into a single system unit reduces the size and weight of the drive system, thereby boosting the vehicle’s performance. The Sion’s range of 255 kilometers WLTP has also been confirmed in simulations.
October 2018
13,000 Test Drives
In 2017 and 2018, more than 13,000 test drives with the Sion we completed in 7 countries and more than 61 cities.
July 2017
Release Event – A Roaring Success!
On July 27, it was time. Time to finally present the Sion – an innovative, cost-effective electric car for daily use – to the world. Almost 700 supporters as well as guests from politics, the media, and industry joined us for the event. The atmosphere was unbelievable. Reports in the media all around the world jump-started preorders, which soared unimaginably the same evening.
April 2017
A Completely New Prototype Design
Your opinion counts. We asked for your feedback in multiple online surveys and received scores of suggestions and ideas for the Sion’s further development. Our team burned the midnight oil on more than a few occasions as they incorporated your wishes and suggestions into the CAD model. We’re hoping to present the results at a large release event.
January 2017
Prototype Construction
We did it! Together with well-known partners in the automotive industry, we succeeded in developing two fully functioning prototypes in just seven months. We are extremely proud! A feat made possible thanks to our fantastic team.
September 2016
Successful Crowdfunding Campaign
It was unbelievable! We managed to raise over €820,000 through our crowdfunding campaign while newspapers, blogs, and magazines all around the world reported on us in detail. Thanks to your incredible support, we dared to take the next step and construct the first Sion prototype.
January 2016
A Company Is Born
We established Sono Motors together with Navina in 2016. Navina contributed the design aspect to our then small team, giving Sono Motors its own identity. Our name, our logo, and, most significantly, our crowdfunding campaign are all her creations. Thank you, Navina!
December 2015
Pre-Prototype
We launched our project in Jona’s garage: the construction of a pre-prototype to prove that mobility can work differently and that renewable energies can be a solution to conserve finite resources, such as oil, and protect the environment. We wanted to demonstrate to the world that it is technologically possible to integrate solar cells into a car and use solar energy to generate extra range. Day and night, we worked on our car – our vision. And then the time had come. Our pre-prototype was working. It drove its first few meters, and the feeling was indescribable!
October 2012
A Phone Call That Changed Everything
It all started with one critical phone call in which we, Jona and Laurin, discussed the wastefulness of oil consumption. There’s barely a resource more polarizing than oil. In spite of this, our mobility is still responsible for 61 percent of overall oil consumption – even though there are already alternatives available. This is why we decided to take matters into our own hands and bring about change
