This solar-powered EV is finally getting made - but will it be any good?

Date:
Wed, 21 Jul 2021 16:42:05 +0000

Description:
Electric car startup Lightyear has announced its manufacturing partner.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Lightyear, a young company focused on building electric cars and solar-electric vehicles, recently announced that it had found a production partner for its new solar panel-clad electric car.

The startup is partnering with a Finnish manufacturer called Valmet
Automotive to build the Lightyear One EV, the first prototypes of which are scheduled to be built in January 2022.

Despite questions around its claims of impressive range numbers, Lightyear
has managed to raise plenty of capital to keep its wheels turning. Mercedes EQA review : Merc's affordable EV gets almost everything right Volvo XC60 Recharge review : A PHEV great for space, comfort and family EV charging connectors : what they are and how they compare

Lightyear first showed off the vehicle in 2019 and outlined several headline-grabbing features: Up to 450 miles of range on a single charge Solar panels covering five square meters of the roof with the capability to recover up to 12 km of range every hour. Four electric motors Up to 60kW fast charge $135,000 (around 100,000 / AU$180,000) starting price

Prior to signing the letter of intent, Lightyear's search for a partner had been underway for well over a year.

The company said that Valmet is a pioneer in the EV space, with over ten
years of experience in the research and production of electrified. Beyond
EVs, however, Valmet's fifty-year history includes manufacturing partnerships with Mercedes-Benz, Saab, and Porsche. But will this solar-powered car be good?

Will the car be any good when it arrives? Details are still quite scarce, but the car looks compelling on paper.

Using solar panels to provide additional power for the car allows Lightyear
to reduce the number of battery cells it needs. The system also greatly increases the range of the car.

With a price tag that runs deep into the $100,000 range, however, the Lightyear One will be a big ask for most buyers. The Kia EV6 has been given a range boost before it's even left the factory



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/this-solar-powered-ev-is-finally-getting-made-b ut-will-it-be-any-good/


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