#38: Sion Prototype spotted on the highway!
Have a nice Sunday! Normally we report retrospectively about the last week, today we have exclusive news! The first Erlkönig shot of the Sion on the highway - Friday evening on the A9 Nuremberg-Munich!
Freitag 18:15 Uhr, A9 Nürnberg Richtung München - Sion in der Tesla-Rückfahrkamera.
+++ ERLKÖNIG +++
Erlkönig is the German term for series validation vehicles that are spotted and photographed on public roads. It dates back to the 50ies. German magazine “Auto Motor Sport” published pictures of prototypes. To avoid the wrath of the OEMs, they added a poem. And the first poem was the “Erlkönig” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, famous German poet. The paper wrote:
"Who's that driving so fast through the rain and wind?"
We are adding:
It is the SVC3, where the software is now refined.
The engineer sits at the helm of the solar ship,
And when it rains, all it takes is a brave grip
into the keys of the laptop, to start the wipers.
the car reacts, and they arrive safely, the test drivers.
After the prototypes ("validation vehicles") have been assembled by Bertrandt, the next step is testing and optimization. For this purpose, the Sions are chased over test tracks by test engineers and test drivers, the charging behavior is tested, solar and every other detail is checked. The tests take place at various locations in Germany, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Munich, in the Allgäu region and at other locations. In addition, there are winter tests abroad.
Last Friday, a special snapshot succeeded - a real "test Sion" on the A9 from Nuremberg towards Munich. Before some freeze in awe, I knew that drives there, otherwise the photo would not have succeeded. Looks really good on the road.
The pictures are not particularly glossy, cell phone shots from the car. I'm sure Sono Marketing has others. But help yourselves if you want them. And at this point, I would like to praise the intrepid test engineers who showed full commitment here on Friday evening. You are super, great respect.
So: from now on, you may see the Sion on the road! It is still too early to lie in wait with the white Canon super-tele lens, too many tests are still taking place in closed facilities.
Update: thanks for your email notes the destination address is not blurred out. I thought about this, and decided that it is more important to post the pictures without any modifications. It was important for me to show the time, date, location when the photo was taken.
Thank you so much for your concerns! Really appreciate it.
Friday 16.09.2022 at around 18:15, A9 Nurmberg to Munich, near “Feucht”
+++ TIC TAC TOE SOLAR +++
On the test track, the Sion is planned to be really dragged through the mud.
The solar cells subsequently enable a completely new pastime, "Tic Tac Toe", "Hangman" and all the classics of childhood can be played on the grid of solar integration completely without computer and electricity. Who is on the road with children or grandchildren, ... look forward to the charging break. The Sion is not a car, the Sion is a play area!
+++ LEFT AND RIGHT: PATAGONIA +++
Sustainability is anchored in Sono's DNA. One role model is the company Patagonia, which offers sustainable functional clothing specifically for outdoor activities. Yvon Chouinard, head and founder of Patagonia, has now reached retirement age at 83 and has arranged the succession of his company: "The earth is our only shareholder from now on". The text begins with the sentence "I never wanted to be a businessman" - and ends with the fact that from now on all company profits will go to a charitable foundation with the aim of protecting the environment.
Foundation ownership is not new - in Germany, there are over 200, with a turnover of over 270 billion. Bosch, for example, Alnatura, Globus. Responsible ownership and success are not mutually exclusive. All of these companies were transformed late in the game, and success has to come first.
(English) https://www.patagonia.com/ownership/
+++ IAA / AUTOMECHANIKA +++
Jürgen from the Facebook group was at the IAA / Automechanika and found some relics from the Sono production at the Bertrandt booth, the moss strip, a side door - and also interviewed the booth crew.
Very funny: the selfie behind the driver's door, you can see right away how later the optics is. Super made and thanks for the pictures to @Jürgen.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5513294082069372
+++ SIBROS +++
Johannes Bückle, Head of Digital Product at Sono Digital, talks about how Sibros and Sono Motors are working together to deliver outstanding Digital Services in the Sion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UjlAElWHf8
+++ ZERO VIEWS +++
Dropbox collects everything to Sono, Drobox never sleeps, Dropbox never gets tired. Today actually a video with zero (!) views stuck in the digital dragnet. It's from "Jessicarmaniac" which shows the moss in prototype.By the way - there are considerations to "satinize" the cover to the moss, which would have the result that you can't really see the moss anymore. I think you should see the moss, but am only one of 20,000 - Jessicarmaniac seems happy in the video that the moss is visible, what do you think? Asti thinks that scattered light including color change is already great, (that's the reason), but that can also be solved by nen sticker for the cover, as in the shower - more room for individuality and our dioramas.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/marFwUmzZdw
+++ FUN FACT +++
With electric cars, there's the "electrosmile," a slightly dopey grin you get at traffic lights when you step on the gas and have that direct acceleration that makes any combustion engine stop.
The first SVC1 had that, back in the 2017 Olympic Stadium, it had that "kick." The SVC2 lacked that, but I thought, okay - somehow you have to achieve the 255 km range, with 35 kWh battery. In the meantime, a lot has happened, the Sion gets 54 kWh - that gives some air.
Friday I got to ride in the SVC3, and the grin is definitely back! The Sion is becoming a true e-car with electrosmile. Acceleration was back to how it needs to be when you need it - the phone stays glued to the headrest when you step on the gas and doesn't fall off. Of course it's a luxury, you don't need it. But a little fun is allowed - and the Sion delivers here, the world is just serious enough out there.
Have a great week, stay healthy.
Sebastian and Asti
And here, finally, a small video: