The first solar-powered vehicle built to manufacturing standards was recently unveiled by Lightyear. Officially, the vehicle is known as Lightyear 0. This vehicle’s original name was Lightyear One when it first appeared in the concept avatar. It has undergone a name change and six years of development. Later this year, the business will begin accepting pre-orders for the vehicle. Only 946 Lightyear 0 vehicles will be made by the solar electric vehicle (SEV)
The electric car firm with Dutch roots specialises in producing solar-powered automobiles (SEVs). Lightyear 0 will include a five-square-meter double-curved solar array using the company’s patented solar panel technology.
In areas with sufficient sunlight, the car may be operated for up to seven months by just charging the gadget once and allowing the solar panels to recharge the vehicle. With the help of these panels, the vehicle can provide an additional driving range of up to 11,000 km per year and 70 km per day. A 60 kWh battery pack inside the solar-powered electric vehicle is believed to have a single charge WLTP range of 625 kilometres. The vehicle’s overall driving range exceeds while using solar power.
Power and speed
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The 60 kWh battery pack that powers the vehicle’s four electric motors was recently disclosed by the business at a demonstration event. These motors’ combined output is only 174 horsepower. However, this generates a significant torque of 1,269 lb-ft. The automobile can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 10 seconds and has a top speed of 160 kmph, according to the company’s official claims.
Customization option
Customers can now configure the Lightyear 0 to suit their preferences and requirements on the vehicle manufacturer’s website. For which customers will have to pay and its starting price is €250,000 (approximately $265,000) i.e. around Rs 2 crore 6 lakh.