Solar car Sion to enter production next year

The Sion, a five-person family car covered completely in solar panels, should enter into serial production in the second half of 2023, the German start-up developing the vehicle said Monday.

Following years of development, Sono Motors is now building a fleet of test vehicles before confiding mass production to Valmet Automotive, a Finnish company which produces vehicles under contract. The large black Sion hatchbacks are covered with 456 solar cells which allow it to generate on average enough electricity over a week to power the car 112 kilometres (70 miles).

The car, which boasts a battery range of 305 kilometres, is aimed at families as well as car sharing services.

Sono Motors already has 19,000 reservations for the Sion, with the average advance of 2,225 euros ($2,225) helping finance development.