The first solar electric car to go into series production

Dutch startup Lightyear has started series production of its first solar electric car, the Lightyear 0. The vehicle is being assembled at the factory in Valmet, Finland.

This is the first car of its kind to go into series production.

Initially, Lightyear will produce only one vehicle per week. Production will ramp up starting in the first quarter of 2023, according to PV Magazine.

The company’s first model was developed over six years. The final version was unveiled in July this year. The car has a range of 625 kilometres and a fuel consumption of 10.5 kWh per 100 kilometres. The top speed of the Lightyear 0 is limited to 160 km/h.

In the most advanced version, the vehicle travelled 710 km on a single full battery charge (60 kWh pack) in a test.

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The car will cost $170,000. Lightyear is already working on a second model, which could debut on the market in 2024.

According to the manufacturer, thanks to the solar panels the car is covered with, it can run for weeks without being plugged in, especially in sunny areas. The solar panels provide 12 km of range for every hour this electric car is exposed to the sun.

Other solar electric vehicles preparing to go into series production are Aptera (Canada) and Sion (Germany).