The Lightyear One definitely isn’t the first solar car, but it’s the only one that could become a reality in the near future. Its roof and hood is covered in over 16.5 feet of advanced solar cells that can operate independently of one another. This means that even if half of the vehicle is shaded, the section under the sun will generate electricity to power the car. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
However, the main source of power will still be plug-in charging, and on just that alone, it’s rated for around 217 miles from a European 230v outlet overnight, or 354 miles in an hour with the fast-charging system. When combined with the solar cells, a full charge provides up to 500-miles. Lightyear is currently taking orders and they are aiming for production run of 500 cars with a delivery date some time in 2021.
