Lightyear says its $263,000 solar-powered automobile will go into manufacturing later this 12 months
EV startup Lightyear revealed its first solar-powered electrical car, dubbed Lightyear 0, at an occasion this week within the Netherlands. The car, which Lightyear describes as production-ready, has 388 miles of vary, 44 miles of that are derived from solar energy alone.
The Lightyear 0 is the product of six years of analysis and growth from its engineering group. That mentioned, it doesn’t look too dissimilar from the modern sedan prototype first revealed by the corporate in 2019. The specs are somewhat extra right down to earth: 388 miles versus the prototype’s 450 miles — however the total form and design of the car seem principally unchanged.
The inclusion of photo voltaic panels, which is uncommon within the automotive area, is what makes this car stand out. The Lightyear 0 options 5 sq. meters (53.8 sq. toes) of “patented, double curve photo voltaic arrays,” permitting the car to cost itself when it’s driving round or simply sitting within the solar. Somebody who has a day by day commute of slightly below 35km (21 miles) may conceivably drive for months with out having to plug the car in for recharging.
“In climates such because the Netherlands, it might be two months and, in Spain or Portugal, as a lot as seven months,” Lightyear claims.
The Lightyear 0 encompasses a 60kWh battery pack with 4 electrical motors that provide 174 horsepower and 1,269 lb-ft of torque. Lightyear says the car will dash from zero to 62mph in 10 seconds and attain a high pace of 100mph — which is actually lower than most EVs available on the market — however pace isn’t actually the purpose while you’re driving a solar-powered automobile, proper?
The inside is predictably minimal but additionally refined with a nod towards sustainability. The supplies are all 100% vegan, together with microfiber upholstery, plant-based leather-based, materials created from recycled bottles, rattan palm wooden trim, and insulated particle foam. The ten.1-inch heart touchscreen runs on Android Automotive, which is Google’s native working system that’s additionally present in a bunch of Volvo and Polestar autos. And the Lightyear 0 options all the opposite high-tech doodads, like phone-as-key functionality, over-the-air software program updates, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Utilizing photo voltaic cells to energy an electrical car is not any small feat. There’s an enormous disparity between the quantity of photo voltaic power that the perfect cells can seize and what’s wanted to make a two-ton car transfer at pace. However Lightyear appears additional alongside than most firms pursuing comparable initiatives. There’s a spec sheet! And a manufacturing timeline! The corporate even has a producing associate in Finnish contract producer Valmet Automotive. These should not insignificant milestones.
That mentioned, there’s nonetheless an extended approach to go, and it’s no assure Lightyear will get previous the end line. The panorama is dotted with the corpses of EV startups which have daring intentions for the long run however nonetheless find yourself succumbing to the cruel realities of car manufacturing. Briefly: making vehicles may be very, very onerous, and Lightyear just isn’t particular in its pursuit of a revolutionary new kind issue.
Lightyear isn’t the one firm staring on the solar for inspiration. Aptera — a California startup that crashed within the aftermath of the Nice Recession — was just lately resurrected and remains to be plugging away. German startup Sono Motors can be engaged on a solar-powered electrical automobile. Mercedes-Benz’s Imaginative and prescient EQXX idea features a photo voltaic roof array of 117 cells. And Toyota has promised an non-obligatory photo voltaic roof for its just lately launched BZ4X electrical SUV.
The corporate was based in 2016 by a group of engineers who had competed collectively within the World Photo voltaic Problem, a race held each few years within the Australian outback that’s meant to advance the concept of solar-powered vehicles.
Lightyear says it’ll solely make 946 models, with every promoting for €250,000 (about $263,262 USD). That prime asking worth may be a tricky promote. For that cash, you would most likely purchase a top-of-the-line electrical automobile and set up photo voltaic panels on your own home and nonetheless have one thing remaining. Plus, the elevated energy output of your panels may imply your EV is technically extra solar-powered total.
