Sono Motors: First Vehicle with Solar Bus Kit

The solar technology company Sono Motors, recipient of the busplaner Innovation Award 2023, has launched a pilot project in public transportation in Hof in the northeast of Bavaria. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 operated by the local public utility company has been equipped with an advanced version of the Solar Bus Kit, a solar retrofit solution for buses. The installation was carried out for the first time together with the public transport service Hagen. The company's expertise extends to the areas of cabling, repair, maintenance, and services for public transportation. The specialist has more than 15 years of experience as a service provider for public transportation and modernizes around 4,000 commercial vehicles annually.

First Time Double-Sided Tapes for Attachment

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 was equipped with 16 semi-flexible PV panels. The installed capacity of the modules is around 1.4 kWp. For the first time, double-sided tapes were used to securely attach them to the roof of the bus. The generated solar power is fed into the battery to support the conventional diesel engine and save CO₂ emissions. The material used weighs only 50 kg.

The first HofBus bus with an integrated Solar Bus Kit from Sono Motors has received road approval from TÜV and has since been operating in the Hof urban area. At the same time, a similar mild-hybrid bus without a PV system is being used. These comparative figures allow for an accurate comparison of performance and energy consumption over a certain distance traveled.

We are very excited about the results of the pilot project. We hope it will serve as a model for other environmentally friendly mobility solutions. (City Works CEO Jean Petrahn)

The project is part of the long-term strategy of Stadtwerke Hof to advance the transition to electromobility. The HofBus fleet is to be continuously converted to emission-free drives in the coming years.