Electric car makers are now working toward harnessing solar energy with a Dutch company called Lightyear already actively working on this front, with plans to introduce a solar-powered vehicle by mid-2022.
Lightyear has manufactured an electric vehicle (EV) called ‘Lightyear One’ that was able to go over 399 km (248 miles) at an average speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) on a single charge of its 60-kWh battery in recent tests. These tests were conducted at a faster rate and in colder temperatures than the previous tests.
The project’s test coordinator, Megan Parfitt, remarked,
Both of these things have an impact on the efficiency of the vehicle, so this lets us see how the vehicle performs in different real-world conditions.
The initial tests involved testing the Lightyear One as it traveled over 708.1 km (440 miles) on a single battery charge. The latest tests were performed on a Bridgestone tire company-owned test track in Aprilia, Italy, and the Lightyear One consumed 141 Wh/km of energy on the course.
“What this means is that on one charge you would be able to drive over 400 km. For example, that’s from Amsterdam all the way to Luxembourg,” Parfitt said and added,
Comparing that to other vehicles on the market right now, that’s about one and a half times further than a directly comparable vehicle can do with the same battery size.
Price and Availability
Bookings for Lightyear One started months ago, and deliveries will begin this summer, according to the website. However, deliveries are restricted to Norway and Switzerland only.
The vehicle reservation costs €150,000 (Rs. 30 million/$171,000) and it is also possible to reserve one by becoming a company shareholder.
Lightyear’s CEO, Lex Hoefsloot, announced that the Lightyear Two will be available in 2024/2025, and will cost around €30,000 (Rs. 6 million/$34,400), which is more affordable than the Lightyear One.
LeasePlan, a prominent Dutch fleet management company, has placed a 5,000-unit order for Lightyear’s second model.
