Long-Term Partnership for Production of the Sion’s Electric Drive Unit
22nd November 2018 – The German mobility provider Sono Motors announced today that it was entering into a cooperation with Continental, the world’s second largest automotive supplier. The long-standing German company’s Powertrain division will build the electric drive unit (EDU) for the Sion, the first series produced e-vehicle with integrated solar cells. This is a long-term partnership between Sono Motors and Continental, extending over the vehicle’s full life cycle.
In addition to the engine, 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 drive system, which has already been validated, can be incorporated into the Sion without the need for any additional significant development work and is therefore in keeping with Sono Motors’ innovative carry-over parts strategy.
“Our decision to work with Continental marks the conclusion of another important stage in the preparation of the Sion’s series production. With Continental, we have found an experienced system partner with high automotive standards who shares our enthusiasm for innovative vehicle development solutions and whose name stands for quality and the height of technology around the world,” says Roberto Diesel, CTO of Sono Motors.
The Sion has a battery capacity of 35 kWh. The optimized engine reduces the vehicle’s consumption. The hitherto communicated range of 255 kilometers according to WLTP standard has now also been confirmed in simulations in accordance with the new Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) standard as being of 255 kilometers. The choice of a front-wheel drive also further increases drive and recuperation efficiency.
The announcements already made by Sono Motors this year include its partnership with ElringKlinger in the area of battery development and production. Additionally, Sono Motors is developing an innovative and custom LED headlamp concept for the Sion together with Automotive Solutions Germany (ASG), a specialist in the development and mass production of automotive lighting systems. Sono Motors has so far received about 8,800 pre-orders for the vehicle.
Sono Group N.V. (OTCQB: SEVCF) is on a pioneering mission to accelerate the revolution of mobility by making every vehicle solar. Sono Motors’ disruptive solar technology has been engineered to be seamlessly integrated into a variety of vehicle architectures — including third-party OEM cars, buses, refrigerated vehicles, and recreational vehicles — to extend range and reduce fuel costs as well as the impact of CO2 emissions, paving the way for climate-friendly mobility.