+++ HIGHLIGHT: CHARGING SOLAR +++

Last week, Sono published a little video showcasing the test of the solar roof. Actually, the little video should have earned more likes. Many just looked at the display with the current power - and were disappointed that it only read 100 watts. But that doesn't quite do it justice, it wasn't about records. The key word was mentioned at 0:33 minutes: "End to End Test": The aim was to test the functionality from start to finish, i.e. from generation on the solar roof all the way to display in the vehicle.

100W from the roof only represent 8% of the total 1,200 watt peak under ideal conditions. But not all panels are connected so far, it was the end of February / beginning of March and you can see from the shadow of the building that the sun is quite flat.

It was even "charging while driving", which many wished for (although strictly speaking it is not "charging" because the Sion consumes more than 100W, so more of a consumption reduction).

If you look at the video from the point of view of the on-board electronics, it is already exciting:

00:10 The Sion came out of the hall, so the solar charge controller is still asleep as the righteous sleep. Nothing going on.

00:15 "Voltage is going up" says Chris happily. What happened? The solar cells are in the sun and a voltage is present. Now the Sion has to decide whether to activate the charging electronics. This should happen at about 70 volts, but a few seconds pass, the video is silent.

00:20: "Ok ... power takes some time". Slight nervousness to hear in the undertone, around 5 seconds and still 0 watts. The voltage is 79. No power, the solar cells are ready, the rest not yet.

00:23: Wattage jumps to 100W, the system is now connected, energy is fed into the on-board network. Relieved smile on the part of the testers.

00:26: Then he drives back into the shadows, the system regulates down. The test was successfully completed and the evidence was given that the chain worked end-to-end.

What the test doesn't say is how good the system is. In order to judge whether 8% of the maximum performance is good or bad, one would have to look at it in more detail, at different times and ideally with a comparison system. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/SonoMotors/status/1367127626809139204

(smoke test)

https://mobile.twitter.com/SonoMotors/status/1367840974379048965

(light and shadow test)

https://www.youtube.com/ watch? v = 6sey5KrWj6M

(HD video with which you can also see the time on the display)

+++ QUESTIONS ON SITE II +++

I am currently receiving several questions about the Sion per day. But I can only be the messenger. Sono has already agreed to a second test session. Therefore, I put up a new page to collect your questions.

It can take a while until the deadline because development naturally has priority and we have to find a gap. So if you want to know something, just write it in the comments, I'll collect it. You can also check what's already on the list:

https://sono.news/testdrives/virtual- test-drive-ii-your-questions-on-site

(German)

https://sono.news/testdrives/virtual-test-drive-next-level

 (English)

+++ MAP OF RESERVATION HOLDERS +++

Many reservation holders are looking for others in their region. I'm preparing something, but for the meantime we can bring back an old friend: ZeeMaps. We used to have that in the past: Reservers could register and get a fist impression of where Sions will go later. I tried to get the old data from "SilverElectric", but it is gone. We can only take the opportunity to rebuild the database from scratch. And this time the database will remain until the Sion arrives.

And this is how it works: 

1) click on "Additions" in the top left

2) then "Add Marker Simple"

3) Fill out the form, only two fields: 

- Name: eg the reservation number, or your first name. 

- Please only use the city or a part of the city as a location so that the Sions are not all pinned in one place, but for data protection reasons it is better not to have any details.

4) Click on "Submit".

And here is the map:

https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=4046307

+++ FROM DEVELOPMENT +++

Every 14 days Sono publishes a status from development. In the meantime already as a PDF. The only thing missing now is the schedule up to the launch, then you can put the small steps in the context of the big picture.

https://twitter.com/SonoMotors/status/1367491889168084995

For everyone who finds the abbreviations too cryptic, I have started a small dictionary "Sono-English English-Sono":

https://sono.news/ sono-english-english-sono

+++ FROM OPEN.NEXT PARTS FOR FUTURE +++

The "Parts for Future" campaign is rolling out, and the 10 community submissions for the next round have been selected. The next four weeks will be worked in different teams. Personally, I am particularly looking forward to the "camping kit consisting of a mattress and matching boxes" and the matching "ambient lighting for day and night". 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14ROujxUwFV_nA3rHU7jyitvJ6t7TrOzoI35oiJCSHHA/edit?usp=sharing

+++ JOBS +++

Over 50 jobs are currently advertised. New additions this week are:

- Working student Customer Success (answer inquiries from customers by email)

- Buyer automotive parts

- Storyteller: Scriptwriting and conceptfor video recordings

creation- Junior Reliability Engineer (solar integration, ViPV technology)

- Sales controller - Sono Solar (m / f / x) Sales and budget planning of Sono Solar

Apparently there seems to be progress in selling the solar integration to industrial customers - and Sono invest in more employees in this area.

https://sonomotors.jobs.personio.de

+++ SOLAR RANGE +++

Sono has updated its marketing material, the “up to 35 km per day” have disappeared, now the additional range is indicated continuously per week. Of course, 245km per week sounds even more impressive.

https://sonomotors.com/site/assets/files/1621/sono-motors-infosheet-02-03-2021-de.pdf

+++ FUN FACT +++

Thomas Watson, head of IBM in the 50s, has estimated the total need for PCs at 5 devices. Steve Ballmer was laughing at the iPhone at its launch. The “futurologist” Matthias Horx was certain in 2001, that the Internet and online shopping would soon disappear again.

Looking back, you're always smarter. Two years ago, “Transport Evolved” (TE), using the Sion and Hyundai as an example, published a very detailed derivation of why solar cells on cars make no sense.

Less than 24 months after the video on “TE”, Hyundai has now presented the Ioniq 5 with a solar roof, which should generate up to 2000 km per year. Startups like Aptera, Sono Motors, Lightyear and Squad Mobility have vehicles under development and testing, and even Tesla wants to get involved with the cybertruck and is planning to cover the trunk with solar panels.

Even if the 100W from the prototype doesn't seem like much at the moment: it is enough that the Sion does not discharge while standing, but can charge itself slowly. The solar car will come, and Transport Evolved was definitely wrong (although they are otherwise pretty cool and really tried hard with the Sion animations):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y89RKORO6Lc

Futurologist Matthias Horx on the end of the internet and the futility of online shopping (2001):

https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article441474/Der-kurze-Sommer-der-narchie.html

Have a nice week. The future is only emerging now.