Lightyear 0, the world’s first production-ready solar car, was introduced earlier this week in an online premiere by its manufacturer, Lightyear, a Netherlands-based business.
The car is the culmination of “six years of persistent work,” according to the business, which added that pre-orders will be welcomed starting at the end of the year. The car’s interior is composed entirely of vegan-friendly materials.
The two curved solar panels on the car’s roof and hood charge Lightyear 0’s batteries. The automobile can be driven daily for roughly 35 kilometres in nations with plenty of sunshine for seven months before needing to be recharged, according to the makers. “In overcast climates, such as the Netherlands, you can drive for up to two months before thinking about charging, based on a typical commute of roughly 35 kilometres per day,” it added.
Lightyear 0 comes with standard electric charging plugs in addition to the solar charging feature. “Lightyear 0 can still charge 32 kilometres per hour when plugged into a conventional home outlet,” the vehicle builders claimed.
The car is powered by a 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack and four 174-horsepower electric motors. It has a top speed of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometres per hour) and can sprint to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometres per hour) in under 10 seconds.
