Industry News: Aerodynamic Winner is the Lightyear 0, formerly Lightyear One

[G. David Felt]

Just how slippery is the Lightyear 0 EV? Try a confirmed 0.175 coefficient of drag (Cd) for this solar assisted electric car with testing having been done by FKFS wind tunnels in Stuttgart, Germany, under WLTP protocols.

I know, I know, how much more aerodynamic is this than others and here is the top 3 cars till today. Lucid Air, Tesla Model S and Mercedes-Benz EQS have all come in at 0.20 to 0.21 meaning the Lightyear 0 is slippery.  Even GMs EV1 which only had 1,117 leased to customers in California had a Cd of 0.195.

Initial first year run is 946 EVs with a reserve cost of $250,000 euros.

What does one get for the Euro $250,000 dollars?

Standard Equipment

• 10.1" infotainment display with Android Automotive OS
• Side and Rear-view camera system
• Vegan interior made with naturally sources materials 
• Seating for five
• 4 independently controlled in-wheel motors
• 1,000km estimated driving range (621 mile range)
• 60 kWh battery pack
• Top speed of 160 km/h or 99.4 mph

Why it might not be right for you:

• Acceleration - 0-60 mph is just under 10 seconds
• To reserve a Lightyear 0, payment of $250,000, vehicle purchase price excluding taxes
• Initial sales only in UK, Switzerland, and Norway. As sales increase, company plans to expand sales to other countries 

High-volume model to follow once all Lightyear 0 models are built.

According to the Lightyear web site, the Lightyear car has 474L of trunk space with the seats up. In Standard language this is 17 cubic feet of space. The ground clearance for this car is 183 mm or 7 inches of space.

The Solar roof and frunk hood allows for 70km (43.5 miles) of driving distance added per day in sunlight.

The lightyear is built using reclaimed carbon fiber and has a weight of 1,575 kg or 3,472 pounds. Dimensions are 5083 x 1972 x 1445 mm which equates in the antiquated US Standard as 200" x 77.6" x 57".

Never let it be said that someone could not get any more minimalist than Tesla has done as I think Lightyear has them beat with their extreme minimalist interior.

Lightyear uses a state-of-the-art thermal management system that is AI aware to maximize range, battery and drivetrain cooling with a heat pump system that uses waste heat to from the drivetrain and energy storage components to chill the battery and heat up the cabin.

The lightyear 0 will have 10 initial colors choices at launch.

Frequently Asked Questions — Lightyear

Lightyear — Solar Electric Vehicle | Lightyear

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