• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Europe
  4. Dutch startup starts producing first-ever solar-powered car
Europe

Dutch startup starts producing first-ever solar-powered car

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Dec 2022 10:21

The Lightyear-0 has already recorded 150 pre-orders.

  • Dutch startup produces first-ever solar-powered car
    Dutch startup produces first-ever solar-powered car, the Lightyear 0.

Lightyear, a Dutch vehicle startup founded in 2016, has started making the world's first electric vehicle series which is powered directly from sunlight. 

Read next: Electric Cars Will Dominate the Market in 2040

The Lightyear 0 - the first model of the production series - is priced at $259,000, and has already recorded 150 pre-orders. The company plans to make about a thousand of the aforementioned model at a Valmet Automotive Oyj factory in Finland.

Solar-powered #Electric car that can be driven 'for months without charging' goes on sale in #Australia

The Lightyear One features a range of 725km and can harness the power of the sun to keep its 60kWh battery topped up

This is an awesome innovation for the planet 👏🙏🌏 pic.twitter.com/f2phWelBB3

— Santanu Bhattacharya (@SantanuB01) February 26, 2022

The facility will be producing one car per week. By the second half of next year, car production is predicted to increase to 5 on a weekly basis, CEO and co-founder Lex Hoefsloot told Bloomberg. 

The specifications of the car include curved solar panels across the hood and the roof; in addition to its brilliant ability to drive 2 months without charging in Amsterdam during the summer and even 7 months in Portugal - not bad considering an energy crisis in Europe. 

Read next: Germany looks to produce 15 million electric vehicles by 2030

The solar-powered car can add 70 km of driving range on a daily basis. The current invention is a breakthrough for the reason that sun-powered cars have struggled for long to make it beyond the prototype stage, as solar panels require large surface areas. 

Hoefsloot explains that fundraising in the early days was a challenge, as investors were reluctant to put their money into a new concept. He explains that "right now, we're at a much more mature" stage, noting that the bulk of investments came from the Netherlands. In September, Lightyear mustered €81 million in investments from the country. 

Lightyear has also been developing the Lightyear 2, which is its second high-volume model, with a starting price of €30,000. The car is projected to start being produced in 2025. 

  • The Netherlands
  • Netherlands
  • electric cars
  • Holland
  • Solar Power
  • Lightyear

Trending Now

All
General view at a compressor station of Dutch gas company Gasunie (REUTERS)

Gas reserves slip below 90%: Dutch operator

Most Read

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

  • US & Canada
  • 22 Mar
Rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

Peace rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

  • US & Canada
  • 18 Mar
Iran–Saudi Deal: Not a Diplomatic Normalisation, But An ‘Architecture’

Iran–Saudi Deal: Not a Diplomatic Normalisation, But An ‘Architecture’

  • Analysis
  • 19 Mar
Poland

Poland may end up 'joining' Ukraine war: Polish Ambassador to France

  • Europe
  • 20 Mar

Read this

All
'Israel' heading to dangerous place: Shin Bet head to Netanyahu
Palestine

'Israel' heading to dangerous place: Shin Bet head to Netanyahu

  • Today
The Los Angeles Police Department headquarters building is seen downtown Los Angeles, Friday, July 8, 2022  (AP)
US & Canada

Investigation launched after undercover LAPD officers info exposed

  • Today
In this Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, file photo, a father gives water to his malnourished daughter at a feeding center in a hospital in Al Hudaydah, Yemen. (AP)
MENA

Yemeni children lives at stake by aid funding shortfall: UNICEF

  • Today
An asteroid estimated to be 40-90 metres in diameter will pass between Earth and the moon on Saturday US time. Photograph: Nasa (AFP)
Miscellaneous

'City killer' asteroid to pass harmlessly between Earth, moon's orbit

  • Today
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS