Sono Sion solar car to enter production in 2019

The all-electric Sono Sion is headed for production, meaning its photovoltaic cell-covered body could be on European roads as early as next year.

The Sion's 330 solar cells are placed on the roof, bonnet, rear quarter panels, tailgate and doors. The cells and exterior panels of the car are covered in a layer of scratch-proof polycarbonate.

Measuring 4110mm long, 1790mm wide, 1680mm tall, and riding on a 2565mm wheelbase, the Sono Sion has seating for five people.

The cabin features a digital instrumentation screen, touchscreen infotainment system, and a strip of moss across the dashboard to act as a natural air filter and humidity regulator.

The Sion has a 80kW/250Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels, a claimed top speed of 140km/h, and a reported 0-100km/h time of around nine seconds.

With its lithium-ion battery pack fully charged, the car is estimated to have a range of around 250km. The Sion can act as a power source, and supports Type 2, CCS and household charging plugs.

The Sion will be available next year in Germany from €16,000 ($25,310) excluding the battery. The battery can be rented for an undisclosed monthly fee or bought outright for €4000 ($6330).

The Munich-based crowd-funded startup car maker says production of the car will be carried out by a "well-known contract manufacturer" and will begin next year. The first-generation of the Sion will only be made in left-hand drive, and, at the time of writing, the company has taken 6686 reservations.

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