Another pioneer in solar cars has gone under

Sono Motors, known for its Sion solar car, has filed for bankruptcy. This marks the disappearance of yet another pioneer in the field of solar energy for vehicles, following Lightyear. The German company ceased all operations on July 31 after failing to secure new investors.

The company began by developing the Sion, an electric car with integrated solar panels. Later, the focus shifted to Sono Solar, which developed solar energy systems for the automotive industry. Those operations are now up for sale in their entirety.

Potential buyers can acquire, among other things, intellectual property, technical documentation, and various technologies. These include systems for integrating solar cells into vehicles, solar charge controllers, and software for managing solar energy.

According to Managing Director Denis Azhar, it is disappointing that no new financing was secured. At the same time, he emphasizes that the technology and expertise built up over the past ten years remain valuable. Director Jan Schiermeister also remains convinced that solar energy will ultimately become a standard feature in vehicles.

With this bankruptcy, yet another ambitious European solar car project has come to an end. However, this does not mean the technology has to disappear. If a new owner takes over the operations, the innovations developed could still find their way into the automotive industry.