World's first solar-powered car, Lightyear 0, heads to production
What's the story
Netherlands-based Lightyear has commenced the production of its first electric vehicle, the '0.' It happens to be the world's first solar-powered car.
The sedan has an aerodynamic design with a claimed 0.19 coefficient of drag and features an elongated and sloping coupe-like roofline.
The futuristic car is covered with five square meters of solar cells on its roof for efficient energy recovery.
Context
Why does this story matter?
With sustainable mobility becoming a priority in recent years, almost every automaker is developing Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).
While most of them rely only on the charging infrastructure to power their offerings, Dutch EV start-up, Lightyear has taken an alternative approach by adding solar charging capability to its first-ever vehicle.
Lightyear 0 can add 70km of range per day using its solar panels.
Exteriors
The EV has aero covers for rear wheels
The 2023 Lightyear 0 has a lengthy and muscular bonnet, a sleek grille, swept-back LED headlights, a wide air dam, bumper-mounted fog lights, and an elongated coupe-like sloping roofline.
On the sides, the EV is flanked by blacked-out pillars, cameras in place of ORVMs, optional (rear) aero covers, and designer alloy wheels.
Wrap-around and connected LED taillights are available at the rear end.
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It gets 4 electric motors
The Lightyear 0 is powered by a quad electric motor setup linked to a 60kWh battery pack. The EV promises a range of 625km on a single charge and an additional 70km/day from the solar panels alone. The sedan has a top speed of 160km/h.
Interiors
The sedan features sustainable upholstery and multiple airbags
Inside, the Lightyear 0 has a spacious five-seater cabin and gets a minimalist dashboard design, sustainable upholstery made using recycled PET bottles and vegan leather, automatic climate control, three small screens for rear-view camera units, and a multifunctional steering wheel.
The EV houses a digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch infotainment panel running on Android OS.
Passengers' safety is ensured by multiple airbags.
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How much does it cost?
In the European region, the 2023 Lightyear 0 solar-powered EV has a base price of €250,000 (approximately Rs. 2.15 crore). The company has already received 150 pre-orders for the futuristic sedan and plans to produce one unit each week.