Dutch startup Lightyear hopes to push the electric vehicle market into the future with its new car, the Lightyear 0. Not only will the EV feature in-wheel motors and aerodynamic design, but it is also covered in solar panels to help it go as far as possible. Far from being some pie-in-the-sky concept, Lightyear promises that production of the 0 will begin this fall. It adds that first deliveries could begin as early as November.
To start with, Lightyear has attempted to
make as efficient an EV as possible. The shape of the vehicle gives it a drag
coefficient of 0.19, which compares well to the Mercedes EQXX concept and
should make it the most aerodynamic family car on sale when it comes out. As
well as being slippery, it’s also pretty light. Weighing in at just 1,575 kg, it’s only slightly heavier than a Toyota Supra. That’s despite it
measuring in at more than 5,000 mm in length, just a little less
than a BMW 7-Series.
That size allows it to have 54 square feet of patented double-curved solar arrays, which allow the
Lightyear 0 to charge any time it’s under the sun. The automaker claims that
the vehicle has a solar yield of up to 11,000 km per year. In
optimal conditions, it can recoup up to 70 km of range per day from
the sun. That, Lightyear reckons, means that people using their car for an
average daily commute (which it estimates to be 35 km long) could go
up to seven months between charges in sunny countries. Although that’s a
best-case scenario, it believes that even Dutch customers could go up two
months at a time between charges if they park their Lightyear 0 outdoors.
Ignoring the solar charging, the automaker
estimates that the car will have a WLTP range of 625 km per charge.
At highway speeds of 110 km/h, meanwhile, it estimates that the car
can go 560 km before running out of juice. That’s thanks to the
aerodynamics and to the highly efficient motors, which are placed in the wheels.
The automaker claims its drivetrain is the most efficient in an EV right now,
using just 10.5 kWh of energy per 100 km at highway speeds. And it’s
not even some spartan prototype inside. Lightyear promises that the 0 will have
a 10.1-inch touchscreen that can be updated over the air. Materials, meanwhile,
will be entirely vegan and it is using naturally-sourced textiles like
microfiber suede seats and rattan palm detailing.
All of that does come at a price. The
automaker said today that the Lightyear 0 will start at € 250,000 (US$ 263,243). It will also produce just 946 of them per year. It
does plan on making a related model, though, that will be aimed at mass-market
audiences with a starting price of € 30,000 (US$ 31,589). Production of that
car will start in late 2024/early 2025.
