German vehicle-integrated PV (VIPV) specialist Sono Motors has shifted its focus to photovoltaic solutions for vehicles, following the discontinuation of its Sion solar EV project in February.

The Munich-based company has initiated a pilot project in Hof, Bavaria, to equip a bus operated by Stadtwerke Hof with a revised version of the “Solar Bus Kit” – Sono Motors' PV retrofit solution for buses.

Sono Motors offers 16 semi-flexible solar modules, totaling 1.4 kW in output, for the bus roof. This lightweight setup, weighing just 50 kg, directs solar energy to the battery supporting the bus's diesel engine.

The solar-equipped bus has gained road approval from the TÜV and is active in Hof. Meanwhile, an equivalent mid-hybrid bus, lacking the photovoltaic kit, serves as a performance and energy consumption benchmark on selected routes.

“We are very excited about the results of the pilot project,” explained Stadtwerke Managing Director Jean Petrahn.

The project serves as a stepping stone towards the gradual conversion of the fleet in the coming years.