Lightyear 0 solar electric car

Amid growing global concerns about climate change, the demand for electric vehicles is constantly increasing. Dutch startup Lightyear has taken a big step into the electric vehicle sector and started production of its first solar-powered electric car, Lightyear 0. The Lightyear 0 looks like any other premium electric car, but stands out because its roof, hood and trunk lid all covered in solar panels. These solar panels help charge the car’s 60 kWh battery.

How does this car work, you know

The unique thing about these solar panels is their important contribution to charging the car. Lightyear claims these panels can charge up to 70 km per day. While this figure may vary, the company suggests that in countries like the Netherlands, where the average person travels about the same distance per day, motorists can easily drive for two months in the summer without charging the car.

In sunny locations such as Portugal, the time between charges can be up to seven months. This should not be a major problem even during the dark months of the year. Based on the European WLTP cycle, the Lightyear 0 offers an impressive range of up to 624 km on a single charge.

Production and price

Lightyear initially announced that it would produce just 964 units of the Lightyear 0 solar-powered electric car at its factory in Finland. Initially, only one car per week will be produced, but the company hopes to expand this to five cars per week by the end of 2024. “Lightyear 0 is in production,” said Lex Hofsloot, CEO and co-founder of Lightyear. This is an important step towards clean mobility for everyone, everywhere. They say the company may be one of the first to achieve this, but the CEO believes they won’t be the last.”

As expected, a unique car like the Lightyear 0 solar electric car will have a quite expensive price tag. The starting price of this car is expected to go up to €250,000 (approximately ₹2.25 crore). There is good news for those who consider this price to be high. Lightyear plans to introduce the Lightyear 2, a cheaper solar-powered electric car, by the middle of this decade.

Know when it will be launched in India

India is one of the fastest growing automotive markets in the world, with rapid adoption of electric vehicles. The future of solar-powered cars like the Lightyear 0 in India looks promising, especially in areas with ample sunlight. Currently, the high prices of solar powered cars keep them out of reach of the common people. As technology advances, the prices of these high-tech vehicles are expected to drop. This shift to solar energy in the automotive sector is an important step towards sustainable and clean mobility solutions that reduce dependence on fossil fuels and carbon. Gives hope for a future with significant emissions reductions.