To Solar Panels and Beyond: Lightyear One Is an EV That Loves the Sun

Lightyear is finally attempting to mass-produce its long-range, solar-powered electric vehicle, the One. The Dutch clean mobility company took the wraps off the car last June, billing it as a first of its kind. Formerly known as project Stella, the Lightyear One is still a prototype vehicle, albeit one that wants to make EVs better for the environment by curbing the whole “charging from the grid” component.

The Lightyear One is a clean-sheet design that does its best to make solar-powered motoring a viable option in a world of internal combustion alternatives. A custom-built 60-kWh battery pack provides power to the One’s motors. The solar panel that collects the sun’s energy makes up most of the roof and hood sections of the car. In total, the Lightyear One is covered by 16 square feet of integrated solar cells.

Even though it can be powered by the sun alone, the Lightyear One still offers plug-in capability. The car boasts a claimed range of 450 miles on a single overnight charge. Those who opt to charge the One from the sun will net approximately 7.5 miles of range per hour. That might not sound like much, but let’s say you leave your Lightyear One outside on a summer weekend. Over the course of two days, the One will add more than 140 miles of driving range—assuming you have about nine good hours of sunlight each day—at no cost to you!

The car’s sleek design was penned by Lowie Vermeersch, a former designer at Pininfarina who oversaw the shape of the Ferrari 458 Italia. The car is also made of ultra-light materials. Remember, less weight means less energy is expelled, which therefore increases efficiency. The One also has a coefficient of drag (Cd) of less than 0.20. For perspective, the Tesla Model S has a Cd of 0.24.

The Lightyear one can also charge via its solar panel while you’re driving. How effectively depends on how fast you’re moving and how much energy you’re consuming while on the go. Power comes courtesy of four in-wheel(!) electric motors—one at each corner. Lightyear says moving the motors outboard improves efficiency significantly and extends the car’s driving range. The company also claims the One is “a car built to last a lifetime,” and they’ve worked durable materials into every part of the car to ensure its longevity.

Even though the sun’s energy is free, the solar-powered One isn’t. In fact, it’s approximately $165,000 asking price is notably steep. However, buyers aren’t technically writing a check for the cost of the car. Instead, Lightyear will use the money as an investment in the company and guarantee interested parties a One once production begins. For that steep fee, buyers will get access to one of the 946 One Exclusive series that Lightyear plans to produce.

If you want to put money down on a One, then don’t plan on driving off in the car anytime soon, as Lightyear estimates first deliveries of the model won’t begin until at least 2021.

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