Sono Motors is a Germany based automaker that came into existence almost seven years ago. It has high aims of producing solar powered cars and wants to enter commercial production by next year.
The company recently came into the limelight when it announced a new partner that would assist Sono Motors in producing its solar powered car.
According to recent news, the company is now looking forward to working with a supplier called Valmet Automotive. Now, the vehicles will be produced in Finland as opposed to the previous plans of manufacturing them in Sweden.
Before this, the agreement between Sono Motors and Swedish company National Electric Vehicle Sweden took place but it could not be materialized.
Why Has Valmet Automotive Been Chosen?
This brings us to the next question that why did Sono Motors choose Valmet Automotive for this project?
Well, the answer is clear. Valmet knows what it is doing. The company has been around since 1968 and in its initial years worked with Saab.
The company has a multifaceted experience that it has gained by manufacturing over 1.7 million vehicles for different manufacturers.
Valmet is currently distinguished to hold the title of one of the most sustainable contract manufacturers.
Another aspect that sets apart Valmet Automotive is that as of 1st January 2022, it has been certified as climate neutral. Thus the two companies i.e. Sono Motors & Valmet Automotive are working on a common mission of getting rid of emissions.
It is also pertinent to mention here that Lightyear, which is another solar powered car manufacturer also signed a manufacturing contract with Valmet in 2021.
This boosted the confidence of Sono Motors to follow suit as by taking help from such a trusted partner, the company will be able to meet its targets.
How Many SEVs Will Be Produced By Valmet Automotive?
Valmet Automotive will produce around 43,000 vehicles per year or around 257,000 solar electric cars during the next seven years.
The Sono Motors CEO believes that the collaboration will enable the company to benefit from its reliable and experienced partner.
This will play a pivotal role in timely delivering the SEVs to customers who are anxiously waiting for them.
What Makes The Sion SEV So Important?
Sion is the world’s first vehicle that integrates solar panels into its exterior. This enables the car to gain an additional range of around 110 to 240 kilometres per week by charging the battery through the solar plates.
Presently, the vehicle is in its series validation phase. This is why we believe that the company will be able to meet its target of delivering these vehicles during the early part of 2023.
How Many SEVs Have Been Booked Until Now?
It is worth noting that Sion SEV has already been booked by 17,000 interested customers.
Price Hike Again
What is not good news for new customers is that this will be the second time in six months that the price of the Sion SEV will see a jump.
The 15,000 customers who booked the vehicle at its original price paid €21,400. However, after 15th November 2021, the price of the vehicle was increased to €23,950.
Reasons Behind The Price Increase
The following reasons have caused the recent surge in the price of the Sono Motors SEVs:
- Increased manufacturing costs;
- Expensive production facilities;
- Elevated prices of supplier components like energy, logistics and raw materials.
Final Verdict
We have high hopes for the Sion SEV as this might open up an entirely new avenue of sustainable vehicles for us.
However, we can only hope that the company will stop increasing the vehicle’s price again and again before it finally enters production.
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