Break down the carport, because the Lightyear 0 is going into production – and you shouldn’t put it in the shade. The Lightyear 0 (formerly Lightyear One) is the first solar car in the world and it comes from the Netherlands. The solar panels give you 70 free kilometers on a good day. Lightyear follows the well-known start-up plan: first launch an expensive car and thereby finance the development of an affordable model.
The Dutch company came up with the first photos of the Lightyear One about three years ago. The car had already been in development for about three years. The model is covered with solar panels so that it charges itself while driving and parking. A simple idea on paper, but a lot more difficult in practice. Many major car companies tried it, but dismissed the idea as unviable. The Dutch company now seems to have cracked the code.
Drive up to 70 kilometers a day for free
The free energy comes from five square meters of solar panels. On a full battery, the Lightyear can reach 0 to 625 kilometers, which means that it can gain about 70 kilometers from the sun per day. The average Dutch motorist should be able to drive entirely on solar energy for two (summer) months a year. In warmer countries such as Spain and Portugal, that is no less than seven months. Under the best conditions, the car will give you 11,000 free kilometers per year.
There is an electric motor in each wheel of the Lightyear 0. Do not expect Tesla-like acceleration, but just a sensible 0-100 time of 10 seconds. The maximum speed is also 160 km/h. The peak power is 170 hp and the torque an impressive 1,720 Nm. The battery measures 60 kWh. Good to know: the interior is completely vegan and sustainable.
Five seats and low weight
Despite the ultra-smooth shape, you can sit in the car with five people. The drag coefficient is only 0.19 and the total weight is just under 1,575 kilos. These are impressive numbers, but unfortunately you have to pay for that. Lightyear wants to produce 946 copies of the 0 for 250,000 euros each. Anyway, then you can claim mileage reimbursement from the boss while the sun pays the bill. In 2024 or 2025, the Dutch company wants to come up with an affordable Lightyear of 30,000 euros.
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