Dutch mobility company Lightyear has begun mass production of what it claims is the first solar-powered electric car for the general public.
Light Air said its inaugural model, dubbed the ‘Light Air 0’, has already received around 150 pre-orders, despite its price tag of 250,000 euros (Rs 59,000,000).
Starting at a rate of one car per week, production is expected to begin in the first week of December.
Lightyear plans to produce around 1,000 units of the model at its Valmet Automotive Oge factory in Finland.
LightAir CEO and co-founder Lex Hofsloot told Bloomberg that production will increase fivefold by the second half of 2023 as they aim to produce 1,000 units by then.
Hofslot claims the car can go seven months without plugging into a power outlet in a sunny country like Portugal.
But in a cloudy place like Amsterdam, charging intervals will shrink to as little as two months – in the sweltering summer.
The automobile is equipped with curved solar panels that extend to the hood and top.
Every day, solar power can add up to 70 kilometers (43 miles) to your driving range.
Amid the energy crisis around Europe and the drive to reduce the carbon footprint compared to traditional electric vehicles, the Light Air 0 is the perfect choice for Europeans.
