Sono Motors: Bavaria botches the "official car of a better world"
It had unfortunately become apparent that financing the development and production of an automobile is almost impossible for a start-up. At least Sono Motors tried to develop an "official car for a better world," so to speak, the "Bionade among mobiles." And the unpretentious, pragmatic, and essential-focused concept for people who have no desire for the "worship of the golden calf" but are looking for an efficient, environmentally and human-friendly means of transport at an affordable price is still impressive. Combined with range-boosting solar technology, the sharing concept anchored through their own app, the V2G technology thought of from the beginning, consistent recycling and raw material concept, sustainable "right sized" instead of "oversized" battery and charging technology, and a price under 30,000 euros, it would have become a remarkable "people's car" for the new era in terms of product, something Volkswagen has not managed to achieve to this day.
Just to make the relation clear: The Sion, as large and spacious as a VW Touran, would have cost 14,000 euros less than a VW ID.3. And the last pre-series vehicles of the Sion drove really well: mature and serious, not a rickety or compromise vehicle. Incidentally, the second lively Munich-based e-car start-up ACM also failed with an even more radical downsizing and minimalist approach with its Fiat-Panda-like van City One with portable suitcase batteries, which aimed for a purchase price of just 10,000 euros: A high triple-digit million amount was missing for further development.
It repeatedly shows: Ideas and a visionary concept are one thing. But industrialization is a completely different story, and numerous much more financially strong companies have already cut their teeth on it. Tesla also went through the "production hell," as Elon Musk candidly put it, before even achieving larger scaling with the Model 3. Well, nowadays the Tesla boss can choose his locations based on the amount of government incentives. Motto: Who offers (me) more?
The still down-to-earth and unpretentious founders of Sono Motors are not entirely wrong with their accusation against politics: When considering how many billions of euros the still brilliantly earning automotive industry was supported with during the short-time work phase, how much money flows into research projects of volume manufacturers, who are highly resourceful in fund acquisition, not to mention the years of indirect promotion of outdated technology or hopelessly oversized vehicle concepts through company car, diesel, or tax privileges, commuter allowances, or the insane PHEV funding, or even the settlement incentives for renowned US car manufacturers, who would never have come to Grünheide without plenty of government money.
Quite honestly: Half a billion euros of taxpayers' money would have been better invested in Sono to help a German manufacturer with a revolutionary idea get on wheels - location promotion in the best sense. Words almost fail to come to mind.
Therefore, finally, an unusually personal word: We at VM have accompanied the unconventional and environmental project from the beginning with great sympathy, almost from the garage, when a dismantled Renault Twingo made the beginning. All the more we regret that it will come to nothing with the "Better-Mobile from Bavaria." And we hope that the second pillar that the makers wisely set up years ago will at least carry parts of the company into the future. The idea and the vision would certainly deserve it. Today, not just the Sion wears "black," but an entire vision of "more sustainable automotive mobility made in Germany."
Elektromobilität , Newsletter Elektromobilität , IAA Mobility , SUVs und Geländewagen , Hybrid , Antriebsarten, Kraftstoffe und Emissionen , Oberklasse- und Sportwagen , Carsharing , Autonomes Fahren (Straßenverkehr) , Ladeinfrastruktur , Verkehrspolitik , Formel E , Brennstoffzellen , Fahrzeug-Vernetzung und -Kommunikation , Fahrzeuge & Fuhrpark , Automotive-Messen & Veranstaltungen , Pkw, Kompakt- und Mittelklasse , Minis und Kleinwagen , E-Auto-Datenbank, E-Mobilität-/Automotive-Newsletter, E-Auto-Tests