pepper motion and Sono Motors to trial electrified bus with rooftop solar panels
By Bradley Osborne - 11th December 2022
Mercedes Citaro C1 electrified by pepper motion and installed with Sono Motors' Solar Bus Kit
Germany – Retrofit firm pepper motion GmbH of Denkendorf, Bavaria is partnering with Sono Motors GmbH of Munich to trial an electrified bus fitted with rooftop solar panels which will power auxiliary systems such as heating and air conditioning.
In July, Sono Motors unveiled a solar-powered retrofit solution for buses which is designed to reduce energy consumption by providing auxiliary power generated from the sun. The company has agreed to supply a customised version of the ‘Solar Bus Kit’ to pepper motion, who will integrate it with a Mercedes Citaro C1 bus which has been retrofitted with pepper motion’s e-powertrain. 14 photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof of the bus, providing peak power of 1.3 kW; this energy will be fed into the vehicle’s 24V on-board network.
