Sono Motors takes the new initiative with German prestigious research institute

According to its press release, we can see Sono Motors new initiative on October 22nd, 2020. The company collaborates with Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE .

Sono Motor is the German electric vehicle manufacturer and mobility provider. Sono Motors is working on a project with the renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. The aim of the partnership is to test and certify an innovative technology for integrating solar cells into the bodywork of electric vehicles.

The partnership involves Sono Motors’ patented solar technology. They will comprehensively tests and take to approve the technology. The tests will focus in particular on producing evidence of the technology’s safety and reliability. A recognized German testing services provider will check the process of certifying the technology for use in EVs.

Another primary objective of the collaboration between the Fraunhofer ISE and Sono Motors is to identify other potential areas of application. As a result, they can promote certification of the solar technology outside of electric cars, too.

What is Sono Motors’ solar technology?

Based on the same press release, we can see Sono Motors’ solar technology in the following way.

Sono Motors’ solar technology consists of lightweight, highly efficient photovoltaic modules. It corresponds control unit with a model for predicting the energy yield, and other system components. We can use these components for the electric and mechanical integration of the solar technology into the bodywork of electric vehicles.

Solar modules are working seamlessly into the surface of the body parts to supply vehicles with solar electricity. The technology will debut in Sono Motors’ Sion. Drawing on the power of the sun, the Sion’s solar system will be able to provide energy for an additional range of up to 34 kilometers a day. Production of the innovative electric car is planning to begin in 2022.

Who is Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE?

According to its Homepage, we can see the explanation of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE as follows.

Fraunhofer ISE, with a staff of 1200, is the largest solar research institute in Europe. The Institute creates the technological foundations for supplying energy efficiently and on an environmentally sound basis in industrialized, threshold and developing countries.

Renewable Energy and Electric Vehicle are hottest topics

One of the buzzwords in 2020 is “Climate Crisis”. We do not discuss the difference between climate crisis and climate change here. However, we could say that we must take more actions to solve climate change.

For instance, European Union announced that the continent aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. When we heard this announcement for the first time, some of us felt that it is too ambitious. However, in 2020, two of Asian economic giants, Japan and China, declared to realize carbon neutral by 2050 and 2060, respectively.

Therefore, carbon neutral itself is not important, and the important thing here is how to achieve it. In this sense, renewable energy and electric vehicles are more important. Nonetheless, many organizations and institutions have still made lots of effort to improve those technologies. Therefore, many countries and cities like California did set new policies to promote renewable energy and electric vehicles.