Lightyear 0, World's First Solar Electric Car, Goes Into Production

In June 2022, Dutch mobility start-up Lightyear announced its first product would be a car that could run on solar energy. At that time, Lightyear also said that it would start production of this model by September in time for delivery to European customers in November this year. However, the company recently announced that it has officially commenced production of the world's first solar car model, called Lightyear 0. Currently, this interesting car has a starting price of $259,000 (Rs. 2.11 crore) and has already collected about 150 pre-orders.

Also Read: Lightyear Raises $110 Million To Bring Its Solar Electric Car To Market

According to the announcement, the first 1,000 Lightyear 0 units will be produced at the Valmet Automotive Oyj plant in Finland. It is expected that one Lightyear 0 vehicle will be produced each week. Lightyear 0 will have solar panels on the roof, roof, and trunk to maximise coverage and recharge while in operation or parked. According to Lightyear, an hour in the sun can charge enough for Lightyear 0 to run nearly 10 km. The car can also run for 2 months without charging in Amsterdam in the summer. And up to 7 months with the weather in Portugal if their daily commute is less than 35 km. In a foggy climate like the Netherlands, the car will need to be recharged after 2 months. 

Also Read: Lightyear One To Be Manufactured by Valmet Automotive

The specifications also show that Lightyear 0 will be a formidable opponent for current electric car manufacturers. The operating range of Lightyear 0 is up to 625 km according to WLTP standards. Thanks to the smart solar panel design, Lightyear 0 can also run up to 70 km per day or 11,000 km per year in ideal conditions even more than the Tesla Model 3 with 601 km. The battery pack equipped on Lightyear 0 has a capacity of 60 kWh, but with fast charging technology, the car can travel 200 km from 1-hour charging for public charging and 32 km from 1 hour for slow charging at home.

In addition, the company CEO claims the powertrain on the Lightyear 0 is the most efficient in the world. The car's aerodynamic shape and four electric motors on four wheels allow for a smaller battery to still provide enough for the same range of travel. So, the Lightyear 0 also has the advantage of being lightweight with only 1,575 kg. Lightyear is also developing a Lightyear 2 after the Lightyear 0 with production expected in 2025.