Latest Toy for the Rich: $263K Electric Car Can Travel 43 Miles a Day on Solar Charge

Lightyear, a Netherlands-based electric vehicle startup claims its new car, the Lightyear 0, can travel 43 miles per day using energy from built-in solar panels. The Lightyear 0 costs $263,000, or more than the houses of many Americans.

Business Insider reports that Lightyear, a Netherlands-based electric-vehicle startup has revealed its first vehicle called the Lightyear 0. The car has been in development for six years and the company claims it can travel 43 miles per day using energy from the five square meters of solar panels installed on its roof and hood.

FILE - In this March 23, 2010, file photo, installers from California Green Design install solar electrical panels on the roof of a home in Glendale, Calif. The Obama administration is boosting the development of solar and wind energy on public lands. A final rule announced by the Interior Department on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, would create a new leasing program on public lands and encourage development in areas where it would have fewer effects on the environment. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

(AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

The company claims that the vehicle has a total range of 388 miles when fully charged, matching Tesla’s longest-range Model S sedan. Lightyear claims that an individual with a daily commute of just 22 miles could drive the car for up to seven months without ever plugging it in to charge, relying solely on the energy generated by the car’s solar panels.

The car is built for efficiency and only produces around 170 horsepower with a top speed of 100 mph and takes ten seconds to reach 62 mph. The car has been designed to produce minimal wind drag in an effort to increase efficiency, with Lightyear claiming the vehicle is “the most aerodynamic family car to date.”

The company claims it uses sustainable materials including vegan leather, recycled plastic bottles, and palm wood trim on its interior. The car’s features are primarily controlled by a 10.1-inch touchscreen and has very few physical buttons.

The company plans to produce a limited run of 946 cars costing 250,000 euros each — approximately $263,000. The firm aims to have a cheaper mass-market vehicle available by 2025. Production is expected to start this year through a manufacturer with the first vehicles being delivered as early as November.

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