{"id":10804,"date":"2022-03-31T15:32:28","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T15:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1383659"},"modified":"2022-03-31T15:32:28","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T15:32:28","slug":"munich-just-got-its-first-solar-powered-bus-why-arent-all-buses-solar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=10804","title":{"rendered":"Munich just got its first solar-powered bus \u2014 why arent all buses solar?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The question I am always asked when I mention anything related to solar energy is this: why isn\u2019t the technology as ubiquitous as the sun?<\/span><\/p>\n

So today I am excited to share the news that solar-power transport company <\/span>Sono Motors<\/span><\/a> is deploying its tech on a bus for the first time \u2014 in partnership with the M\u00fcnchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (Munich Transport Company, MVG). <\/span><\/p>\n

You probably know Sono Motors from its work building Sion, the <\/span>solar electric car<\/span><\/a>. The Sono solar technology replaces traditional paint with proprietary integrated solar panels that can form for various applications. Unlike vehicles with rooftop solar panels alone, it comes with 456  solar half-cells <\/span>on the hood, fenders, sides, roof, and rear.<\/span><\/p>\n

I sat down with Laurin Hahn, co-founder, and CEO, to ask about the shortage of solar deployment up until now, and find out about the company\u2019s latest partnership.<\/span><\/p>\n

He explained that the reasons for solar\u2019s slow start have been cost and inefficiency: <\/span><\/p>\n

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10 years ago, solar was just too expensive and too inefficient. Now, we have seen prices come down by 80% to 90%, and efficiency going up by roughly 40% to 50%.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Buses get the solar treatment<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Today the company is deploying its solar technology as a diesel bus retrofit solution. As Hahn notes, \u201cThere are thousands of buses in existence. And they will not be put away tomorrow.\u201d So, the first step is to reduce the diesel consumption of existing bus fleets.<\/span><\/p>\n