#33: Summer, Sprints & Organic bread
Summer in the city! The holiday season has the companies firmly under it’s grip. Not much will happen in the next two weeks in terms of development, as both test cars are touring Germany for test drives and community feedback.
+++ SPRINT REVIEW +++
There was a detailed update from the development last week. The report is about calendar week 28 (middle of July). In general, it’s nice to see all departments making progress, I really like the company culture and that even things that do not yet work can be listed. Let's take a look at some focus areas:
Charger Lid complete module: we edge closer to a supplier.
Translated: Definition is done, we're looking for someone to manufacture the complete module, but we don't have one yet.
Infotainment: Final steering wheel clarification
For reasons of cost, a steering wheel that does nothing else except steering is the best. The infotainment usability would, of course, improve by have one or the other button on the wheel, for the volume, for answering phone calls, etc. One says yes, the other says no, politically correct it is a "blocker that needs clarification."
Highlight: Estimate that about 35% of SVC3 styling loop 02 is done. Greenhouse/headliner not yet touched.
Greenhouse. Is that really the working title for the moss compartment in the ventilation? Otherwise, the styling team seems to be relaxed when 35% completion and a break in August is the highlight (just kidding)
OBC Testing was done last week with Casco on Pepper: Charging with 10kW V2L working. V2V not working.
Now you know, too, Casco from Frankfurt is developing the bidirectional onboard charger on behalf of Sono. Definitively adds up to the credibility. Charging works pretty good. 10kW is close to 11kW, Vehicle to Load (V2L) - the “Schuko Plug” seems to work as well. I just want to see it working three phase!
Front radar bracket designed. ADAS official quote received.
ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistant System) and radar means automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, and possibly a distance cruise control. It wasn't promised, so no guareantee here. However, by law, the current state of security technology must be implemented in new vehicles. It has already been mentioned that for additional payment, you might be able to activate functions that are already included in the carry-over part but not part of the core Sion. Emergency braking in a car that is built for sharing - count me in!
https://sonomotors.com/site/assets/files/6783/sono-motors-dev-sprint-review-cw28-21-2.pdf
+++ VLOGGING +++
Video report from Nuremberg with Gladys, Arvind, and Christian from Sono. Astrid and I also have a guest appearance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erjsWOf8ek8
+++ SONO DIGITAL +++
Sono Digital continues to improve the in-house mobility sharing app. There are two updates to report:
We continue on our quest to share every car. Non telematics cars can be shared now.
New infotainment user interface concept for Apple Carplay and Android Auto inclusion is validated with real people.
https://twitter.com/SonoMotors/status/1426140001943924743
+++ CODE 21 +++
Solar roofs on cars are good for the environment and save CO2. The EU Commission already determined this in November 2016 - and Jean Claude Juncker signed it. The reasoning went like this: the solar roof charges the 12V onboard battery, so less energy has to be used in the alternator, the engine has to work less, and this reduces consumption by 1%. There are extra CO2 credits for solar roofs on cars available. The mathematical reasoning and the formulas are public:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016D1926&from=en
The longer you think about it, the more evident it becomes: E-cars with solar panels deserve special government grants to make the technology become mainstream - because the electricity is generated where it is needed. For me, the document was extremely interesting. Funding is often not fair, and can harm the market. But this document showed me the mechanics how it works. It’s to about common sense, or doing good. You need to find already decided goals, and show that your technology adds value to the decide goals. Exactly like it was done in 2016. Credit where credit is due - for Solar Roofs.
+++ SAABBLOG +++
The "SaabBlog" has been reporting for a long time about everything that is going on in the halls of Trollhättan. In particular, the new owner, Evergrande is being closely watched And since Sono wanted to have it manufactured there, the Sion has also been on the radar of the Saabblog. Last Wednesday, there was a positive outlook on what Sono is doing:
On Sono:
https://saabblog.net/2021/08/11/sono-motors-die-vorstellungstour-laeuft-weiter/
On Evergrande:
https: // saabblog.net/2021/08/12/evergrande-auto-gespraeche-und-plaene-ohne-erffekt/
+++ EVENTS +++
On August 27, the summer tour ends with a stop in Leipzig.
The IAA (internationale Automobil-Ausstellung) starts in Munich on September 7. Sono Motors is not an official exhibitor (somehow it would not feel right anyway) but also wants to contribute with an alternative program and several events.
A lot of protest against IAA is forming up: "No IAA," "No Future for IAA," "Smash IAA," "Sand in the gears," "ContraIIAA" - all have announced protests against the fair as a whole.
https://sonomotors.com/de/events/
+++ FUN FACT +++
Sono Motors offers an Organic bread flatrate nd vegan catering to all it’s employees. since day one. The largest German car manufacturer - Volkswagen - runs on “Currywurst” (curry sausage, a German junk food specialty) since the 50ies.
Volkswagen is selling more curry sausages than core brand vehicles. 7 million “original manufacturer sausages” were sold last year alone. Since Corona, the "power bar" (ex-Chancellor Schröder on the currywurst) from VW's own slaughterhouse (yes, they own one!) can even be found in various online shops.
VW is now aiming for climate neutrality - and banned the “Schimanski plate” from the menu in its main canteen. The outcry from Berlin-Mitte to Recklinghausen was great when VW announced the "end" of the currywurst at corporate headquarters this month. It’s a little bit exaggerated - anyone who has a VW canteen card knows that it was only served once a week in recent years - Tuesday was “Currywurst Day”. Now it's all over.
At Sono, they are consciously 100% vegan long before others have jumped on the bandwagon. And as long as 450 trains with 2,000 tons of coal each roll into the thermal power stations at the two Wolfsburg plants, there is a long way to go from currywurst to organic bread. The West thermal power station in Wolfsburg also burns lacquer granules, hard coal, heating oil, and waste oil. The NEVS plant from Sono in Sweden will run on hydropower. A completely different league - even without currywurst at all.
And besides that: we will continue to have currywurst in the future. But not daily anymore.
Stay safe.
Sebastian.