#10 (EN): Solar Testing, FFAV, Community Report
Have a nice Sunday! Here comes the weekly review in the Sonoversum.
+++ SOLAR TESTS IN WINTER +++
The "Solar Theater", a simulator for solar radiation throughout the course of the day, is located in the factory hall. Test engineers Andrea and Christian explain in a three-minute video its two use cases.
First, the solar cells (and thus the entire Sion) can be made to "glow" with the help of a voltage. The light can be made visible by the help of a "modified camera" (photographers know this as an "astro camera," a camera without an infrared filter). This allows to see physical damage to the cells (in the video starting at second 48; our cover image today). Damage to solar cells can have many root causes - already damaged during production, while embedding into the polymer during production, or later during operation due to parking bumps or accidents. And this is how you can make them visible.
Second, you can reproduce solar performance under controlled conditions. This is no substitute for real-world testing under the sun, but still helps to fine-tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA8whFk_8KA&t=48s (Glowing Solar Cells)
+++ FFAV +++
The 2019 50M campaign also raised 2.5M through FFAV. In the context, Sono is required to submit a report to investors every six months. The report is now here, on four pages one learns .... not much. Of the 12 key figures, two have been filled in, and there is nothing at all about the forecast. You haven't missed anything. On the plus side, interest was paid as agreed.
https://invest.sonomotors.com/projects/592-sono-motors-nachrangdarlehen-2019/emissions/759-20191108
+++ COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD +++
"B.W." sent me an email noting that the last official "Community Report from the Advisory Board" is more than six months old and it's about time for a new one. That's right. Of course, I have already finished it, but the right moment is not yet there.
This weekly little column is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much to report, from the supervisory board, from development, many details, why the cancellation periods in the contracts are the way they are, and how strongly the community stands by Sono. Please be patient.
(via email to seb@sono.community)
+++ AC vs. DC +++
He said Sion! Dennis and Robin from Robin TV discuss Vehicle to Grid, the possibilities and the current state of legislation. Also there is a little digression on what makes more sense, AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current) wallboxes for bidirectional charging. Spoiler Alert: It's the still rare AC bidi box that Sono also wants to bring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7m2QfEU2q4
+++ FUN FACT +++
When I first saw the "Solar Theater" in the hall at the Sono headquarter, I thought long and hard about what it reminded me of. Now I remember. "Sabbia Med”.
There is a company in Ainring (Bavaria) that develops wellness oases for hotels. And they have a kind of "showroom", an alpine pasture where all the oases are set up - you can try out the inventions as a day guest, and I did several times.
"Sabbia Med" is the name there for controlled sunbathing. You lie down on sand for 30 minutes, and get as much light as in a whole day (without the UV rays, it's not coin Mallorca). Stimulates metabolism, brings up your vitamin D levels and prevents depression. 13 € for 30 minutes.
If you don't live nearby, you can have it for free: Just relax on a park bench for 30 minutes in the warm spring sunshine, take a deep breath and forget all the crap out there currently going on.
Have a nice week, stay healthy.
Sebastian, Astrid, Andreas, Wolfgang.