Sono Sion Production Halted Amid Financial Challenges

Credit: Sono Motors

Sono Motors, a Munich-based company that focuses on developing sustainable mobility solutions announced recently that the Sono Sion Solar EV will not be produced after all. While reception of the vehicle had been pleasant, supply chain disruptions and financial challenges have ultimately forced the company to halt production... and that's a real shame. 

While I wasn't a fan of the styling of the Sion, or the limited range of only 155 miles, I did get really excited about the prospect of a mobile solar-powered 35 kWh battery with bi-directional charging. Especially when considering that the company had intended to sell the Sion for around $30,000. That's amazingly inexpensive and quite the deal for the technology a potential owner would receive.

Sadly though, it looks like the sun has set on the Sion (you see what I did there?).

In a blog post on its website, Sono Motors co-founder Laurin Hahn announced the halt of production and stated that it remains committed to its vision of sustainable mobility, but will continue to explore other solutions. The company also expressed its gratitude to its supporters and investors, and stated that it will be providing updates on its future plans in the coming weeks.

"We are extremely saddened that we have terminated the Sion program so close to bringing it to the streets. We are still fully committed to making a real difference in mobility and making every vehicle solar. Therefore we have made the decision to continue with our solar B2B business. This was a very difficult decision, as you can imagine, and we do not take it lightly," he said. 

"Despite more than 45,000 reservations and pre-orders for the Sion, we were compelled to react to the ongoing financial market instability and streamline our business. Given also the resource intensive nature of the Sion program, including personnel requirements, we are now implementing a significant cost reduction program. This includes the redundancy of approximately 300 employees. This is not a decision we take lightly and we are incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication to Sono Motors.”

The Sion solar-powered car was a bold and innovative project that aimed to revolutionize the automotive industry with its sustainable technology. While the project has consistently faced significant challenges, Sono Motors' commitment to sustainable mobility remains strong. It will be interesting to see what the company's next steps will be and how it will continue to contribute to the transition to sustainable transportation.