Lightyear is a car manufacturers with the mission to make clean mobility accessible to everyone, everywhere.
A solar electric vehicle, or SEV, is just like an electric car, but with one critical difference. An SEV has an outer layer of integrated solar cells, and with them, can charge itself from the power of the sun. In other words, it doesn’t rely on plug-charging alone and can drive for weeks – even months – without needing to be charged.
Lightyear uses hub motors and not conventional motors
Four traction inverters and direct drive-in-wheel motors eliminate the need for energy draining components, such as a gearbox and driveshafts, as used in standard EVs. Our drivetrain is not only in pole position for the highest efficiency on the market, it also reduces the number of rotating components for much lower maintenance.
Lightyear was founded in November 2016 and currently employs around 100 people. It is based out of Netherlands. Lightyear develops electric cars with an energy-efficient design and integrated solar cells.
Their technology is designed with efficiency in mind. It takes this efficiency to the next level within every design choice we make, and therefore it can build a car that requires 80% less charging and has twice the range on the same battery pack.
The plan is to make it accessible to all by keeping price point (starting at <€40.000) and cost of ownership to rival a mid-sized fossil fuel based car, it will truly bring clean mobility to the masses.
With a fully charged battery, Lightyear 0 has a range of 625 km — Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) drive cycle. If you drive 110 km/h continuously, you are able to drive for 560 km.
Please note that this is the battery range, without additional range yielded by the solar cells. Depending upon your location, you can gain up to 70 kilometers of range per day from the sun alone, or between 6,000 to 11,000 kilometers of free, effortless, and clean range every year. Driving range is dependent on habits, location and season.
Individual driving behavior can also have an influence on range.
Depending upon your location, you can gain up to 70 kilometres of range per day from the sun alone, or between 6,000 to 11,000 kilometres of free, effortless, and clean range every year. Driving range is dependent on habits, location and season.
Charging time depends on the power of the charging station you will use. If you use a fast charger of 50 kW, you will charge 520 km/h. With an average charger of 22kW, you will charge 200 km/h. And with a regular home socket of 3.7 kW, you will charge 32 km/h.
On a sunny day Lightyear 0 charges itself with up to 1.05 kW – that’s 10 solar kilometres in one hour. It means you can get 50-70 km* of range per day using only solar charging.
*70km is the maximum achievable solar yield for 10% of a year in Spain. Driving range is dependent on habits, location and season.
Lightyear 0 has peak torque power of up to 1,720 Nm and peak power of ~130kW, which is equal to ~170 bhp. It reaches 100 km/h in 10 seconds.
Because a BEV has no Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and therefore no tailpipe, a BEV does not emit any CO2 or other gases.