Dutch Company Launches Electric Car that Charges from the Sun

A company from Eindhoven has launched a prototype of an electric car which has already sold 100 orders back in 2011. The special thing about this car is that it’s entirely electric and solar-powered.

It won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and it’s the first long-range solar car in the world. It features four passenger seats and its name is Lightyear One.

Lightyear One Explained

This solar-powered car has a range of around 725 km and 400 km in the winter at highway speeds with the heating on. This is excellent news and achievement for humanity.

Could this mean that in the near future, every car will be like this? There will be no need for charging the car- it charges on its own. This means there’s no gas and conventional charging, which is pretty amazing.

However, electric and solar tech in the world of transportation could have been introduced a long time ago; however, the issue isn’t with having the solution, but with the implementation. This has been a major problem for humanity and we need to be louder about it.

Though this model can be charged from the sun, it can also be plugged into a regular power outlet in your home and charge up to 400 km at night.

What Are the other Properties of this Car?

This car is made with premium materials with the goal to have the lowest weight while optimizing passenger safety. The hood and roof are consisted of 5 meters of solar cells in safety glass which is very strong- even an adult can walk on it without dents being created.

The car is propelled by 4 independent wheels so there’s no energy lost in transit from engine to wheel. The crash testing hasn’t yet been done; however, the creators hope it will be successful.

What about the Price?

Sadly and expected, this car is expensive for most people and the production is rather slow. However, potential buyers can reserve one of these 500 electric cars for a fee of 119,000 Euros on the company’s website or to contact the company directly and ask for additional questions.

Final Thoughts

Aware of the benefits of such transportation, it’s normal to ask why all vehicles aren’t powered by the sun and electric. If there is enough resources and potential, what’s the reason not to do it?

If the electric car was invented decades ago, why do we still have cars that run on gas?

Sources:

COLLECTIVE EVOLUTION

WORLD SHIFT

AUTO BLOG