Lightyear Presents Electric Vehicle with Solar Cells

The Dutch start-up Lightyear presents the One, an electric car based on solar cells. The vehicle is to have a range of 725 km according to the WLTP standard.

»The main goal of this car is to go where electric cars reach their limits«, said Lex Hoefsloot, CEO and co-founder of Lightyear, at the official launch of the One. »Research has shown that range and lack of charging capability are still the biggest concerns about electromobility.«

The One is powered by four independent wheel hub motors. The roof and hood of the car consist of five square meters of safety glass solar cells. According to the company, the energy generated by the solar cells will provide a range of up to 33 km per day (less on cloudy days). In addition to solar energy, the vehicle can also be supplied with electricity at the fast-charging station. Charging at a household socket is also possible. Here, electricity for up to 400 km can be recharged overnight.

The start-up will start production of the 119,000 Euro Lightyear One in 2021; it can already be ordered now. Lightyear was founded in 2016 by graduates of Solar Team Eindhoven, which won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2013, 2015 and 2017.