#12 (EN): Build Phase, Taillights, Press Release
Have a nice Sunday! ThyssenKrupp is currently building the aluminum components. We're looking forward to the first "Body in White" arriving in Munich, where the other components will be assembled.
+++ NEXT PHASE +++
Monday morning, Sono issued a new press release: they see themselves "on track" with building the next prototypes. A fleet of 37 vehicles (generation 3) consists of 16 complete cars and 21 test structures. The public debut for the Sion’s final design is planned for the summer of 2022. Then some of the series-validation vehicles will most likely additionally go on a Europe-wide test drive tour.
The update is accompanied by a series of press photos from the thyssenkrupp Automotive Body Solutions plant.
https://sonomotors.com/de/press/press-releases/sono-motors-enters-series-validation-phase/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbLAMBXMpfX/
+++ HEADLIGHTS +++
On Instagram, the new headlights and taillights were briefly seen as a story (you can only see it if you click on the logo there). Since not everyone is so hip and follows every Insta-Story: the footage is our cover photo of today. You can see the LEDs in the taillights, but it's impossible to say whether they can do some kind of animation or simply on/off in the classic way.
https://www.instagram.com/sono_motors/
+++ PRESS +++
Press releases want to be printed and many publications have picked it up. Over 50 hits, the content is similar everywhere. Important for Sono to remain in the conversation.
+++ ACC ACUTE +++
Most-discussed news of last week was the unavailability of ACC, the automatic distance control in the first "batch" of Sions. Normal cruise control will be implemented. Some had the faint hope that perhaps ACC meant automatic climate control after all, but unfortunately not.
As promised, we asked. It is the assistance system, unfortunately. Of course, all Sions from the first one onwards must and will be road-legal, and the first ones will have to be braked by the driver himself, no adaptive cruise control.
https://sonomotors.com/site/assets/files/7579/sono-motors-dev-sprint-review-cw08-22-1.pdf
+++ THE SOLAR CAR +++
A small promo video from Sono about the Sion, new on YouTube. (engl.)
+++ SOLAR ROOF IN THE 914 TARGA +++
Asti got a tip from the community, thanks for that: "Auto Motor Sport" interviewed ex-”Herzblatt” presenter and underpants model Christian Clerici in the Moove new mobility podcast. He is now active at the start-up Vibe, an Austrian company that markets e-car subscriptions. In addition, he collects and restores classic cars.
Among other things, starting at minute 47:40, Christian Clerici talks about his own green electric car project with the Porsche 914, which he is equipping with various sustainable technologies. In addition to electrification, the topic of a solar roof for the Targa also comes up. At minute 54/55, Sono is briefly mentioned in connection with the integration of a solar roof in the Porsche 914 Targa.
What that means exactly, we don't know. Ex Sono designer Norman (the one with the scarf in the video) is mentioned with his company. It is exciting that this company designs solar roofs or solar integration (among others for Audi). In any case, solar roofs are a topic, which is good. Norman's company: https://www.p-plus-consulting.com
ams MOOVE Podcast:
https://podcastaddict.com/episode/136984658
+++ FUN FACT +++
The podcast mentions in passing that the Würth company will convert its entire fleet to electric vehicles by 2024. I remember an interview with founder Reinhold Würth years ago in which he was basically positive about electric cars, but didn't want any in his business ("I want my sales representatives to be at customers - I don't pay a salary for taking charging breaks"). To this day, he recommends that his employees fill up after work. So it's very gratifying that even Würth is making the switch, and doing it right. The changeover was preceded by a pilot project with hydrogen, which is not being pursued further.
https://www.presseportal.de/pm/18368/4929778
https://www.deutsche-handwerks-zeitung.de/der-rastlose-ruhestaendler-158048/
Stay healthy,
Your admin team