HomeLifestyleIntroducing the World's First Solar-Electric Car‍

Introducing the World’s First Solar-Electric Car‍

There are solar panels on Lightyear’s sleek O sedan that can provide up to 44 miles of range per day.

In production is the Lightyear 0, a solar-powered electric vehicle that can go months between battery charges.

This isn’t the first solar electric car to be in the works, but it is the first to be produced by the Dutch startup, according to Jalopnik.

In an era when automakers are releasing EVs at a rapid pace, designing one that stands out can be challenging. In spite of its looks, the Zero’s 60 kWh battery pack is charged by solar panels on top. The top of the car is lined with solar panels from the hood to the tail lid.

The solar cells will have a huge impact on how much time you spend charging the vehicle. Lightyear claims the panels can provide up to 44 miles a day. In the Netherlands, drivers who cover roughly that distance per day could easily go up to two months between charges, according to the brand. According to Jalopnik, if you live somewhere even sunnier, like Portugal, you could charge your car up to seven months before it needs to be charged. According to Europe’s WLTP testing cycle, the 0 can travel 388 miles between charges during the dark months of the year.

Lightyear previously announced that it would build just 964 examples of the Zero in Finland. At first, just one car will be built per week, but by the end of 2023, the brand hopes to build five cars per week.

“Starting production of Lightyear 0, the first solar car, brings us a big step closer to our mission of clean mobility for everyone, everywhere,” said Lightyear CEO Lex Hoefsloot. “We may be the first to achieve this, but I certainly hope we aren’t the last.”

A car as unique as the 0 doesn’t come cheap. The Lightyear sedan costs €250,000 (about $262,000). If that sounds a bit steep, you’re in luck. It is planned to introduce a solar electric car called the 2 by the middle of the decade that is more accessible.

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