...AND CHEAPER...:

At this year's (virtual) Consumer Electronics Show in January, Sono unveiled its latest prototype SEV (solar electric vehicle), a passenger car called Sion. The company also showcased a trailer outfitted with Sono's solar body panels to demonstrate the technology's potential to be integrated into other vehicles.

At first glance, Sion doesn't look much different than any other black compact car roaming the streets in European cities. But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the car's exterior is made up of hundreds of solar cells molded into polymer. These solar cells (which total 248 in all) convert sunlight into energy, which is then stored in the vehicle's battery. Based on average weather in Munich, solar cells on a Sion can generate up to 1.2 kilowatts a day, which translates into 21 miles of driving range. That alone is enough for most commuters in Europe, who on average drive 11 miles a day.

In America, people drive a bit more (average 30 miles a day), but also likely live in places that have more sunny days than Munich.

Yet, it's still not quite a fully solar-power car. Combined with its built-in lithium-ion battery, a Sion can last for 155 miles on a single charge at a maximum speed of 140 km/h (87 mph).

But Sono's solar panels aren't designed to replace traditional charging methods anyway, Hahn stressed. Instead, it's supposed to be a power supplement to reduce a battery car's reliance on charging infrastructure. In Germany, for instance, where commuters drive 10 miles daily, solar integration in the Sion car extends the need to plug in from once a week to once a month.

The larger purpose is to integrate the technology into the rest of the transportation industry. "We have a two-fold goal: to build an affordable mass-market SEV and to make this technology available to other battery-powered vehicles, trains, boats, basically any moving thing that consumes electricity," Hahn explained.

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