German automotive startup Sono Motors is pivoting its focus to exclusively retrofitting and integrating its solar technology onto third-party vehicles.
Subsequently, the company has terminated plans to build the Sion, its solar-powered passenger vehicle.
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In light of the decision, Sono said it will lay off 300 employees and COO Thomas Hausch said he will leave the company.
“It was a difficult decision and despite more than 45,000 reservations and pre-orders for the Sion, we were compelled to react to the ongoing financial market instability and streamline our business.”
It’s unclear when or how customers will be reimbursed for reservations, 3,500 of which were fully paid.
Earlier this month, the company introduced a crowdfunding campaign inviting people to pay upfront or contribute whatever they could to keep the Sion project alive.
