The story of Sono Motors
Our goal is to become a global mobility and energy service provider within ten years, hence making a significant contribution to reducing global CO₂ emissions.
In order to protect resources and the environment, annual vehicle production volumes around the world must be significantly and permanently reduced. Only intelligent mobility concepts, which are suitable for everyday use and resource-conserving, will enable the implementation of this vision.
The Sion is the beginning of the mobility of the future.
Jona and Laurin.
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.
The pre-prototyp standing in Jona's garage.
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, like solar energy, 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 self-sufficiently.
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!
Jona, Navina and Laurin - The founders of Sono Motors.
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 a recognizable face. Our name, our logo, and, most significantly, our crowdfunding campaign are all the product of Navina. Thank you, Navina!
Crowdfunding campaign.
July 2016 Start of Crowdfunding Campaign
Together we decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign to create the foundation for a completely new, environmentally friendly mobility concept. We wanted to convince people of the merits of our vision and, with their help, give the Sion its breakthrough.
Crowdfunding success
September 2016 Crowdfunding Success
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.
Our lovely team back in 2017.
November 2016 Our Team Is Growing!
Our team continues to increase its numbers, though to this day it is still composed only of people who share Sono Motors’ vision 100 percent. It is the core and motivation behind everything we do.
Thanks to the great work of our mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, management strategists, graphic designers, and communication experts, we are one giant step closer to our goal.
Laurin and Jona working on our prototypes.
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’re extremely proud! A feat made possible thanks to our fantastic team.
A completely new design.
April 2017 A Completely New 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.
Release event – A roaring success!
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.
At our test drive tour.
August 2017 Start of Test-Drive Tour across Europe
We began our great test-drive tour across Europe in the middle of August.
Six countries, 11 cities, and over 7,000 test-drives lay before us. Our six-person team spent three months touring Europe with the Sion as part of this.
Our Mission: To use the Sion to bring our vision of sustainable mobility to the people.
This tour was a highly important milestone for us. We’d promised the numerous supporters of our crowdfunding campaign precisely one year before that we’d offer test-drives within 12 months. A promise we were able to keep!
Successful crowdinvesting campaig
September 2017 Crowdinvesting
On September 1, we launched a one-of-a-kind worldwide crowdinvesting campaign. Using the online platforms “Seedrs” and “wiwin,” we offered our supporters two possible options.
We issued stock in Sono Motors GmbH through Seedrs, while offering fixed-interest loans over wiwin.
Through this, we raised almost €2.3 million in just a short period of time – an incredible success!
On September 1st, we launched a unique crowdinvesting campaign by giving interested parties two great options on the Internet platforms Seedrs and wiwin: Through Seedrs, we sold shares of Sono Motors, while on wiwin one could give us fixed-rate loans. Within a few days we generated 2,3 million € – what a tremendous success! That’s why we decided to continue the campaign on wiwin.
10 countries, 42 cities and over 12.000 test drives!
January 2018 Test-Drive Tour 2018
Seeing as our 2017 test-drive tour across Europe was such a great success, we didn’t need to think long about it. In 2018, we’ll be hitting the road again on a grand tour across Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands
All carbon emissions produced throughout the manufacturing process are completely offs
February 2018 The First Electric Car to Be Fully Carbon-Offset
In June 2017, we decided to offset all carbon emissions produced throughout the Sion manufacturing process. We made this decision public in February 2018. The reason for this decision is simple – we want to protect the climate with the Sion and our goSono mobility concept. Although we endeavor to act as ecologically and environmentally friendly as possible, there are simply some emissions from manufacturing, logistics, and our administration that we can’t completely avoid. That’s why we try to reduce our footprint to a minimum and offset all unavoidable emissions.
We’re currently identifying and recording all emissions produced as part of our mission to put the Sion on the road. With this in mind, we’re working on our sustainability and climate-protection strategy that will reduce our need for offsets step by step by avoiding and reducing carbon emissions.
ElringKlinger is our battery supplier.
May 2018 Sion Battery to Be Manufactured in Germany
On May 9, we started a new chapter in Sono Motors’ history with the announcement of our battery supplier for series production. Together with the established automotive supplier ElringKlinger, we’re developing and manufacturing the battery of the Sion in Germany.
Innovative LED headlights for the Sion
June 2018 Sion to Receive Innovative LED Headlights
After announcing our battery manufacturer in May 2018, we had the pleasure of announcing our partnership with Automotive Solutions Germany GmbH (ASG), a specialist in the development and series production of automotive lighting systems, at the beginning of June. To develop a tailor-made concept for headlights, taillights, and brake lights, we, in cooperation with ASG, put together an expert team that will come up with a new LED technology for the Sion. Each Sion will be fitted with this LED technology at no extra charge.
We made it: 5,000 reservations!
June 2018
We Did It: 5,000 Preorders!
Over 5,000 reservations from more than 30 different countries! In just two years, the idea and vision of three friends has grown into a community of inspired people. Together we’ve demonstrated what a vision can create when you have the will for it.
Start of our new financing round.
October 2018 Start of Our New
Financing Round
Financing Round
We are happy to announce: after last year’s great success, our supporters can now once again participate in the development of Sono Motors via various platforms. Our community has supported us and our vision to shape tomorrow’s mobility from the very beginning and has made a significant contribution to our success to this day. That is why we have decided to integrate crowdinvesting into our new financing round yet again. Thank you for your trust! Sono Motors is based on the idea of community, together we can achieve extraordinary results.
Continental to build the Sion’s motor.
November 2018 Continental to Build the Sion’s Motor
November 22 – the preparations for series production are continuing. 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 250 kilometers (255 kilometers under the WLTP standard) has also been confirmed in simulations. You can find details about the Sion’s motor in our information sheet.
January 2019 Bosch is our Partner for Car Connectivity
We started the new year with the announcement of a new partnership.
Bosch, the leading automotive supplier, supports us in integrating our intelligent mobility services into the Sion. All data connections of our vehicle as well as the automatic emergency call service eCall are controlled by the Connectivity Control Unit (CCU) from Bosch.
The final look of the Sion
March 2019 Sion - Designed with you
The announcement of the series design was one of our most important milestones this year. A feature that shapes the design: 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 34 kilometers of additional range a day. This means more independence of the charging infrastructure. 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. The rear is a bit more stepped and, thanks to the new LED backlight design, also more three-dimensional. We have repeatedly included our community into decisions on the design which is a completely new approach in vehicle development. Thank you for the amazing support!
NEVS - Trollhättan, Sweden
April 2019 The Sion will be manufactured in Sweden
Together with NEVS we manufacture the first series-produced SEV (Solar Electric Vehicle) at the former SAAB plant in Trollhättan, Sweden. With NEVS, we have found a partner who shares our vision of sustainable, climate-friendly mobility. The Sion is produced exclusively with electricity from renewable energy sources.
May 2019 10,000 Reservations of the Sion
In June last year we reached our milestone of 5,000 reservations. Today, almost one year later, this number has doubled. Together with us, ten thousand people are setting a sign with their reservation of the Sion – for a responsible treatment of our planet and climate-friendly mobility. Thank you for your support!
August 2019 Sion – Ready to be shared
Following the announcement of our exterior design in spring, in summer the interior concept of our SEV is presented. At a time of ever-increasing equipment variations, we focus on the essentials in the cockpit of the Sion, namely functionality, intuitive operation, user-friendliness, and connectivity. The Sion interior design takes into account the diversity of the vehicle’s usage with an appropriately robust and hard-wearing interior. Innovative design highlight: our natural air filter system breSono which ensures a pleasant indoor climate and ideally complements our climate-friendly overall concept. We are pleased to share first insights into the Sion interior!
Community Funding
January 2020
With more than 13,000 supporters and over 53 million euros, we have exceeded the goal of our community funding campaign to finance our next steps. In 50 days, an average of one million euros flowed into the campaign everyday. Together with our supporters, we are sending a strong signal. Thank you!
Today
We are a fast growing company from Munich, Germany. Over the past months and years we have been able to achieve a number of important milestones. Read our story.
