![]() That EV is the Lightyear One, which is set to enter series production later this year. ![]() Since 2016, it has worked to achieve its vision of a highly efficient solar EV it says will do much to ease range anxiety. Netherlands-based Lightyear has answered this with a resounding ‘Yes’. And if it is optimised, will the resulting EV look, feel and perform like something that anyone would actually want to drive? Solar panels need sunlight to work, and even then the practical energy they provide could be extremely limited if the EV platform is not highly optimised around its use. Of course, the potential drawbacks should be obvious. ![]() A vehicle with its own solar panels can recharge itself independently of grid infrastructure, and it can replenish its battery while the driver is commuting, stuck in traffic, shopping and so on.Įxtending range using solar power means the need for massive investments in charging points could become a thing of the past, as could conventional IC engine-based range extenders and the emissions they produce. If these drawbacks stand in the way of more people switching to electric mobility then the case for a well-engineered solar EV becomes clear. Range anxiety broadly encapsulates these problems, and boils down to a few key points – battery energy capacities are insufficient, charging points are too few and far between, and poor vehicle efficiencies mean batteries will either be drained before drivers reach their destinations or they have to stop along the way for a few hours to recharge them. While EV technology has come a long way over the past decade, the main concerns being raised by engineers, advocates and prospective customers of battery EVs remain the same. Rory Jackson explains how this aerodynamic five-seater has been designed for daily trips purely on solar power (Images courtesy of Lightyear except where stated otherwise) Ray of sunshine The Lightyear One solar-electric liftback has been validated to a maximum range of 725 km between recharges ![]()
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