MUNICH, Germany, 17 November 2022 – Sono Motors, the Munich-based solar mobility OEM, and pepper motion GmbH debut the first electric bus with the Company’s solar technology on the streets. pepper is an international OEM for the electrification (repowering) of used and new vehicles. As part of the ongoing collaboration, Sono Motors equipped an electrified Mercedes-Benz Citaro from pepper’s demo fleet with a customized version of the Solar Bus Kit containing 14 semi-flexible solar modules to provide around 1.3 kW peak to the 24-volt system. The energy generated by this installation is expected to be 3.3 kWh/day on a yearly average based on weather conditions in Munich.
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Sono Motors and Pepper Electric Bus With Solar Technology Makes On-Street Debut.
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The Next Milestone Project for Sono Motors is its Mission of Solar on Every Vehicle as well as a New Strategic Market Entry for Its B2B Business.
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14 Semi-Flexible Solar Modules Provide Around 1.3 KW Peak to the 24-Volt System of an Electrified Mercedes-Benz Citaro.
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Two-Year Test Phase Across Europe Has Been Kicked Off.
The partnership with pepper is the next milestone project on the way to Sono Motors’ mission of solar on every vehicle, as well as a new strategic market entry for the Company’s B2B business. During the next two years, pepper clients across Europe will have the opportunity to participate in the test phase. “We believe in a future in which every vehicle is a solar electric vehicle. That’s why we’re convinced that our first e-bus with solar technology is a great achievement for the future of public transport. Sono Motors and pepper aim to accelerate the transition towards zero-emission vehicles already today”, states Laurin Hahn, CEO, and co-founder of Sono Motors.
“We at pepper are passionately committed to driving successful mobility transformation in our society, thus Sono Motors is the ideal partner for us as we share the same vision of a world without fossil fuels”, says Andreas Hager, CEO of pepper.
The project with pepper is the first time Sono Motors has performed electrical integration within an e-bus. The solar charge controller, the MCU, developed in-house by Sono Motors, transfers the solar energy to the 24-volt battery which is used as the primary source of energy. The E-bus DC/DC charger takes over the energy supply when the solar energy supply is insufficient. This means solar energy is not directly used for driving but rather for powering the HVAC and other auxiliary systems. This way, the stress on the high-voltage battery and DC/DC charger is reduced and could therefore lead to longer operating hours, fewer charging cycles, and a reduced total cost of ownership.
ABOUT PEPPER
As the first digital OEM worldwide (without its own warehousing and manufacturing), pepper offers innovative solutions for the electrification (repowering) of used and new commercial vehicles. With its holistic approach to telematics, charging infrastructure, and fleet management, the company designs quickly implementable and cost-efficient solution packages for a sustainable mobility transformation.
By repowering existing commercial vehicles with certified retrofit kits for buses and trucks, vehicles are given an environmentally friendly “second life” and therefore enable the most sustainable form of mobility, both ecologically and economically, making an active contribution to reducing emissions in transport and implementing the Clean Vehicles Directive.
pepper is ISO 9001 certified and as such is the only supplier of conversion solutions to ensure operational safety according to international automotive industry standards such as ISO 26262 for functional safety. A network of international partners guarantees service and availability across Europe.
pepper motion GmbH with headquarters in Denkendorf and offices in Garching near Munich and Paderborn employs more than 100 people. The subsidiary pepper motion Austria GmbH, based in Vienna, is the pepper Group’s software development center. pepper is represented by further sales partners in Italy, France, and Poland.
About Sono Motors
Sono Motors has set itself the task of fundamentally revolutionizing global mobility. The company’s mission is to equip every vehicle with solar cells. The company’s solar technology was developed to enable seamless integration into a wide range of vehicle types – including buses, trucks and trailers. In this way, ranges can be increased, fuel costs reduced and CO₂ emissions reduced.
Sono Motors’ Sion has the potential to become the world’s first low-cost, mainstream Solar Electric Vehicle (SEV). Supported by a strong international community, Sono Motors recorded more than 20,000 pre-paid reservations for the Sion as of September 1, 2022.