As a joint venture with Saab, Valmet Automotive began producing cars in 1968. Since then, the company has built more than 1.7 million cars as a contract manufacturer for some of the world's leading OEMs. General cost increases, the change to Valmet Automotive and the development of new production lines will lead to an increase in financing needs to at least 275 million euros by the planned start of production in the second half of 2023.
Target: 43,000 solar cars per year
Valmet Automotive's facilities in Uusikaupunki will enable production of a low four-digit volume in 2023, to be followed by a ramp-up period. After this period, which is expected to last a few months, the partners aim to produce around 43,000 Sion per year, using one hundred per cent renewable energy. Sono Motors currently expects that all production-related greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be avoided along the supply chain or during the production process of the vehicles will be fully offset through appropriate measures. Valmet Automotive is one of the most sustainable contract manufacturers in the world and has been certified as carbon neutral since January 2022.
See also: A solar car roof for both EVs and ICE vehicles
Sono Motors
By the end of March 2022, Sono Motors had already recorded over 17,000 direct customer reservations for the Sion, with an average down payment of €2,390 net. Once 18,500 reservations are reached, the company plans to increase the estimated net price of the vehicle before taxes and subsidies to 25,126 euros. Currently, the price is 23,950 euros (net). Sono Motors is thus reacting to the recent increase in manufacturing costs due to higher prices for production equipment and supplier parts as well as for raw materials, energy and logistics. The promised prices for current reservations are not affected.
Integrated solar cells extend range
Sono Motors is currently building a fleet of production vehicles in Germany to launch the test programme for the Sion. The outer skin of the family-friendly car will consist of 456 seamlessly integrated solar half-cells and will enable self-sufficiency over short distances. The energy generated by the solar cells will extend the estimated 305-kilometre range of the Sion's 54-kilowatt hour lithium battery (LFP) by an average of 112 kilometres to 245 kilometres per week. Bi-directional charging technology complements the car's integration and is expected to transform the Sion into a power plant on wheels capable of powering electronic devices, homes or other electric cars with up to eleven kilowatts of power. (nhp/mfo)
