Like many Australians, I think of solar energy when I think of energy for the future. And this is becoming even more of a reality. Last night, solar EV company Lightyear unveiled Lightyear 0, the final design for their first-ever solar EV in a slick online world premiere†
Lightyear not only reinvents solar energy, but also battery charging
Lex Hoefsloot, co-founder and CEO, explained the challenge of EVs, claiming:
“You can’t hide from it, access to charging stations will not keep up with the demand for electric cars. To minimize plug-in charging and maximize range, the industry’s strategy until now has been to add batteries. That increases the environmental footprint of production and in turn increases the weight and the need for powerful charging stations.”
By comparison, Lightfoot was in the trenches of R&D. The company has more than 57 patents and $100 million in funding, and has focused on creating a vehicle that offers greater range with less battery use.
Lightyear 0 has integrated solar panels of 5 square meters in the roof and hood. This makes it possible to drive for weeks, or even months, without recharging.
“The most energy-efficient electric car on the market”
According to Koen van Ham, Chief Designer and co-founder, Lightyear 0 can generate a driving range of 70 km directly from the sun in one day. He said most people could drive for months in the summer based on a 35-kilometer daily commute.
Specifically, someone living in the Netherlands can drive for two months or 1,304 miles (2,100 km) on a single charge, and in Portugal seven months or 4,600 miles (7,400 km).
Impressively, with Lightyear 0 every socket becomes a charging station. Plugged into a regular wall outlet, the solar-powered EV can reach a range of 20 miles per hour.
The car has been approved by the authorities and is road legal, so it won’t be long before we see it on the road.
There is a downside
Look, there are a lot of things to be impressed with in the Lightyear 0. But the biggest drawback is the cost. The company’s first release is a luxury model with just 946 cars to be produced. And the price, initially set at around €170,000, has risen to €250,000 ($266,000) due to increased production costs.
that is a lot of money in everyone’s budget.
By comparison, there are plenty of more affordable options for people looking to make their next vehicle as energy efficient as possible.
Sono Motors Sion will cost $31,600 (€28,500) and plans to begin production next year. There’s even the SQUAD Solar City Car, priced from $6,522 (€6,250) and available for pre-order now, slated to launch in 2023.
With Lightyear 0, however, we don’t even know when or if the car will make its way to the retail markets of the Middle East, Asia, the US or Australia. Of course, there will be plenty of people who want to be the first owners. I’m just not sure if they’re all in Europe.