| Lightyear 0 | |
|---|---|
 Lightyear One at Motorworld Munich in 2021 | |
| Overview | |
| Type | Solar car |
| Manufacturer | Lightyear |
| Production | 2022–2023[1] |
| Assembly | Uusikaupunki, Finland (Valmet Automotive) |
| Designer | Lowie Vermeersch atGranstudio[2] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Executive car (E) |
| Body style | 5-doorLiftback |
| Layout | wheel hub motor,four-wheel-drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 4 electric engines in the wheels |
| Power output | 130 kW (170 bhp) |
| Battery | 60 kWh |
| Electric range | 625 km (388 miles) (WLTP) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 5,057 mm[3] |
| Width | 1,898 mm[3] |
| Height | 1,426 mm[3] |
| Curb weight | ~ 1,575 kg (3,472 lb) |
The ‘’‘Lightyear 0’’’ (formerly the ‘’‘Lightyear One’’’) was an all-solar-electric car by theDutch car manufacturerLightyear. Production was originally scheduled to start in 2021, with a starting price of€250,000 incl.VAT. The first units were delivered in December 2022."Lightyear 0 Solar EV Enters Production At A Rate Of One Per Week".InsideEVs. Retrieved18 January 2023. In January 2023, Lightyear announced that it was halting production of the 0 model, and that Atlas Technologies B.V., the subsidiary responsible for the manufacture of the Lightyear 0, would be allowed to go bankrupt. After a restart and new investments, the company initially announced plans to focus on a more affordable model, theLightyear 2, but this follow-up model ultimately never reached production."Koreaanse miljoenen voor autobouwer Lightyear: 'We gaan hier een staalfabriek bouwen'".Quotenet (in Dutch). Retrieved2 September 2023.
The Lightyear 0 is a large fastback, with the bonnet, roof, and boot clad covered with 5 m2 (54 sq ft) ofsolar cells, producing aWLTP range of 625 km (388 miles). The Lightyear company claims the 782 solar cells across the car can add 70 km (43.5 miles) of range per day during summer.[4][5] The aerodynamics of the vehicle were stated to produce a record-low drag coefficient of Cd=0.175.
The car is all-wheel drive, with four in-wheel electrichub motors powered by a low-mounted battery.[6] It seats five adults and luggage.[5]
The solar panel design was born out of theSolar Team Eindhoven's solar-powered cars for theWorld Solar Challenge. Design work on the Lightyear 0 was carried out together withGranstudio in Italy.[7]
Announced on 25 June 2019, production was scheduled to start in 2021, mentioning a starting price of€119,000 excl. VAT.[6] In September 2021, Lightyear were reported to have raised to bring the vehicle to production, and delivering the first units in 2022, for€250,000 excl. VAT.[8] The company announced in December 2022 that production had begun, at a rate of one car per week. Availability was limited to customers in the EU, Switzerland, Norway and the UK.[9] However, in January 2023 Lightyear announced that it was halting production of the 0 model, redirecting their efforts towards production of Lightyear 2; Atlas Technologies B.V., the subsidiary responsible for the manufacture of the Lightyear 0, would be allowed to go bankrupt.[10][11] As of 2023[update], the replacement,Lightyear 2, is slated to beUS$40,000 and available in both Europe and North America, and to start production in 2025.[12]
Only about a dozen cars were made before production ended.[13]
| Domestic manufacturers | |
|---|---|
| Foreign manufacturers registered in the country | |
| Active volume-production factories | |
| Motor racing constructors | |
| Solar racing teams | |
| Components manufacturers | |
| Automotive design | |
| Defunct manufacturers | |
| Defunct motor racing | |
| Other | |
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