The Lightyear 0 is a solar-powered car that can run for 7 months on a single charge!
With a lithium-ion battery pack paired to solar panels, the Lightyear 0 has grabbed many eyeballs around the world.
Netherlands based EV start up Lightyear have revealed that their first production SEV (Solar Electric Vehicle) could run for up to 7 months on a single charge where the sunlight is strong. Even in a country like Netherlands, Lightyear believes that their SEV can run for up to 2 months on a single charge. For better context, this is calculated using an average daily commute of 35 kms per day which is not so far off from reality. Run those numbers and you’ll find that the Lightyear 0 comes with a solar yield of 11,000 Kms.
How is all this made possible? Well, first things first, the owners will have to keep the car outdoors for the panels to draw solar power. The solar panels are 54 square feet of patented double curved solar arrays allowing the SEV to draw energy from the sun anytime. Lightyear further claims the EV can run up to 70 Kms just using the solar-sourced energy. The Lithium-ion battery range is claimed to be 625 Kms while at highway speeds of around 110 Kph, these numbers go down to about 560 Kms.
Lightyear claims that their SEV is the most efficient electric car in the world using only 10.5 kWh of energy per 100 Kms at highway speeds. All thanks to their efficient batteries and superior aerodynamics. And don’t think that this is another EV startup claiming big numbers which is light years away from production. (Get it? Lightyears away?) Well, Lightyear 0 begins production later this year with deliveries starting from November 2022. For tropical countries like India, this could actually be a game changer if the numbers are true.
