Technology company Continental is working with German solar mobility OEM Sono Motors on the development of the Sion self-charging electric car, which is to be produced in Finland in the second half of 2023. Continental Engineering Services (CES), the technology company’s in-house development service provider, has made available an extensive portfolio of products and tailor-made developments for Sono Motors. Current series-validation vehicles, for instance, will be equipped with an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and will be provided with software for the torque management, climate control and the energy, charging and thermal management of the powertrain.
In addition, Continental has been working with Sono Motors since 2018 on the Sion’s 120 kW electric motor, the pre-series vehicle control unit, the body control module and the airbag control unit. The Sion is special in that its 456 solar half-cells integrated into the body enable the vehicle to charge its battery with sunlight, adding an average of 112 km per week of driving range to the car’s battery.
“We are particularly committed to sustainable mobility solutions and are therefore delighted to work on a climate-friendly and exciting mobility project with Sono Motors. The Sion is unique for its kind: an electric car that can also run on self-generated electricity from solar energy,” says Dr Christoph Falk-Gierlinger, managing director of Continental Engineering Services. “We are the perfect partner for young companies such as Sono Motors. As Continental’s engineering service provider, we can draw on components that have proven themselves many times over and adapt them to the customer’s needs. The customer obtains everything – from the sensor to the software – from a single source, which guarantees lean coordination processes.”
Continental has supported Sono Motors for four years. Components from the technology company Continental, which have proven themselves millions of times over, and customized developments from Continental Engineering Services help new companies like Sono Motors to gain a foothold and establish themselves in the global automotive market with innovative and sustainable mobility solutions. “By working with an experienced partner like Continental, we have made rapid and decisive progress in our development. Continental shares our enthusiasm for new approaches in vehicle development and supports us in perfectly and safely mapping our customer needs,” says Laurin Hahn, CEO and co-founder of Sono Motors.
The current series-validation vehicles of the Sion are or will be equipped with the following: a customized ADAS system, including multifunction camera, long-range radar and rear-view camera, a comfort control unit, software for the central control unit for the powertrain (vehicle control unit, VCU), software for climate control and thermal management of the electric motor, a passive start and entry system and a start/stop button.
