Helping an Allgäu energy brand grow global.

Sonnen needed to evolve from a regional battery maker into a global energy brand in record time. The task was to support rapid internationalization, communicate complex technology, and make the brand desirable to both early adopters and mainstream audiences.

client

Sonnen is a climate tech company from Germany’s Allgäu, building intelligent energy systems that connect households into virtual power plants.

services

Brand strategy & identity
Corporate & product design
App & digital UX prototypes
Website & international web system
Launch & exhibition design
International brand rollout

industry

Climate

„What Tesla did for mobility, Sonnen set out to do for energy. The team around Leonid gave that vision a voice.“

Philipp Schröder, Founder of 1KOMMA5° and former CEO of SONNEN.

The Challenge

When Philipp Schröder returned to Sonnen from Tesla in 2015, the company had world-class technology but no clear story. Known as “Sonnenbatterie,” it looked and felt like a hardware supplier – not the visionary energy provider it was becoming.

But this was more than a branding job. There was another nut to crack: redesigning the battery hardware itself — turning a technical box into a design object people would be proud to have in their homes.

Our Solution

We built Sonnen’s overall appearance around one idea: clarity as energy. Every design decision (from logo to light to product) had to express simplicity, trust, and optimism.

Designing the Brand and the Products

We refined Sonnen’s visual identity into a calm, confident system centered on the circular “sun” symbol. The same principles extended to the hardware: smooth surfaces, white finishes, and balanced proportions transformed the battery into a statement piece of modern living.

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Launch and Experience Design

The rebrand debuted through a coordinated brand and event rollout – combining motion, sound, and spatial design into one cohesive experience. The sound logo and logo animation gave the brand a distinct emotional signature.

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Creating the Website and Digital Design

Sonnen’s original website was built by engineers for engineers. We restructured around the user – reframing the story from product specs to human benefit. Clear hierarchies, modular layouts, and localized content allowed the site to scale quickly across markets and languages.

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Bringing the Exhibition and Communication System to Life

At trade fairs and launch events, the new design shifted Sonnen’s presence from technical display to brand experience. Motion and narrative consistency created a unified message across every touchpoint: the future of energy is shared.

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Internal Communication and Internalization

The new Sonnen brand was not only embraced by internal teams, it also expanded quickly beyond Germany. The new brand pillars allowed to adopt the idetity to other markets while ensuring rigorous brand consistency.

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The Impact

The rebrand transformed Sonnen from a Bavarian tech manufacturer into a global clean-energy leader.

Within four years, the company expanded into major international markets and was acquired by Shell. The brand system supported fast scaling, consistent global communication, and a premium product image that redefined the energy category.

Following its success and acquisition, Sonnen underwent a new rebranding. Yet the core pillars "clarity", "optimism", and "human trust in technology" remain unchanged.

Today, the soul of the brand endures: a belief that the future of energy should be as simple and empowering as sunlight itself.

With special thanks to:
Philipp (Copy and Content)
Norbert (App Prototype Design)
Robert (Brand Rollout)
Studio Carcasse (Exhibition Design)
Michel Magens (Motion and Explainer Films)