Premiere of »production-ready« solar car »Lightyear 0«

The Dutch company Lightyear has presented the »production-ready« version of its solar car. Starting this month, »the very first test drives will be offered,« and production at the Finnish contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive is expected to ramp up in the fall, with the first cars to be delivered in November. A pilot series of 150 units has already been sold since April. The price is €250,000 ($263,000).
Unlike previous prototypes, which were presented as »Lightyear One,« the series model is now called »Lightyear 0.« According to Lightyear, the distance traveled annually by cars worldwide is equivalent to one light-year, and the company wants to help make that happen with solar energy by 2035.
The technical data is in line with previously released figures: The car’s range (WLTP mode) is 625 kilometers, weight is 1.58 tons, and consumption is 10.5 kilowatt-hours. In sunny regions (southern Spain), the Lightyear 0 should be able to cover up to 11,000 kilometers in everyday use without a charging stop.
© PHOTON