Editor’s take: EV startup Lightyear has unveiled what it’s calling the world’s first production-ready photo voltaic automobile. The Lightyear 0 is concentrating on a really area of interest purchaser that values effectivity over efficiency and will not thoughts paying an arm and a leg for it. Will it promote? We shall see.
The Lightyear 0 is the product of six years of planning. We first discovered of Lightyear in 2019 when it introduced the Lightyear One, a $169,000 EV with built-in photo voltaic panels. That undertaking is now generally known as Lightyear 0 and has advanced a bit since then (and can be much more costly).
According to the corporate, the Lightyear 0 may have an estimated vary of 388 miles because of its 60 kWh battery pack and 4 independently managed in-wheel motors. Notably, the car can solely generate about 43 miles of vary per day from its photo voltaic panels underneath best-case circumstances.
Don’t count on typical EV efficiency right here, both. The Lightyear 0 takes a whopping 10 seconds to hit 60 MPH from a cease and maxes out at a prime pace of simply 100 MPH. For comparability, a Tesla Model S Plaid can attain 60 MPH in underneath two seconds and has a prime pace of 200 MPH. It’s additionally considerably extra inexpensive.
Then once more, blistering efficiency is not the secret right here – effectivity is.
The Lightyear 0 ideas the scales at simply 3,472 kilos and has a record-breaking drag coefficient (Cd) of lower than 0.19. Its physique is constructed partially of reclaimed carbon fiber, and naturally sourced supplies make up a lot of the inside.
Interested events can order a Lightyear 0 over on the corporate’s web site, however be ready to shell out a staggering 250,000 euros ($263,000) for the chance. The first automobiles will attain their homeowners in November, we’re informed.
