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Sono Motor's Sion Sun-Powered Car
Sono Motors is still working diligently on its Sion solar-powered car. This is a car with built-in solar panels, and never needs to be plugged in (although you can, if you need to).
We head to northern Munich to see how the 2015 prototype of the Sion has advanced to a 2021 version, which has 7.5 square meters (81 square feet) of solar panels now beautifully integrated into this spacious and practical electric car. With an average of 70 miles of range being added every week from just being parked outside, and up to 150 on a sunny week, you could feasibly do all of your driving using solar power. But don’t panic, you can still charge by plug if you need extra miles!
Robert Heinlein's fans may recall the steel tortoise solar powered utility vehicle from his 1940 story Coventry:
It drew its power from six square yards of sunpower screens on its low curved roof. These drove a constant- load motor, or, when halted, replenished the storage battery against cloudy weather, or night travel...It could maintain a steady six miles per hour on smooth, level pavement. When confronted by hills, or rough terrain, it did not stop, but simply slowed until the task demanded equaled its steady power output...
Via electrek.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/25/2021)
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