The prototype of Lightyear’s first long-range solar car will be unveiled in Katwijk on June 25th. The company says it is “the first concrete step towards Lightyear’s mission of making clean mobility available for everyone, everywhere”.
The Lightyear One was designed from the ground up to solve two of the biggest drawbacks of electric cars: range and charging. The 4-wheel drive car is designed to go for long periods without cable-charging. The battery alone has a range of 600-800 kilometers, depending on the usage. When it does need to be charged, the model’s energy efficiency makes it charge two or three times faster than any other electric car on the market. This means drivers can charge up to 400km overnight with an ordinary power socket, providing them with the freedom to use the Lightyear One in places without electric car charging infrastructure.
Its optimized aerodynamics, lightweight and four independent in-wheel motors deliver torque with very high efficiencies.
Stella
Lightyear was founded in 2016 by five members of the team who developed Stella, the world’s first solar-powered four-seater. It won the World Solar Challenge and Best Technology Achievement from the Crunchies.
Lightyear’s goal is to deliver cars with very low operating costs and long lifetime so the usage cost per km becomes extremely low.
On June 25th, the Lightyear Prototype One will be revealed in Katwijk, the Netherlands. “Almost 100 people” have already reserved a Lightyear One.
