EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) — The Dutch team behind the Stella solar-powered electric cars has come up with a concept for a self-charging version with room for all the family.
The Lightyear is still in its design phase, but the developers say it will have a range of between 400 kilometers and 800 km, depending on its battery configuration.
The electric vehicle will be four-wheel drive and able to carry four people comfortably, according to its makers.
The Lightyear is unique because it doesn’t need the charging infrastructure required by other electric vehicles.
“We remove the restriction of needing to have a charging infrastructure in order to be able to drive electric, which means you can drive anywhere in the world where there is an electricity grid,” explained the start-up’s Public Relations Officer Tessie Hartjes.
Despite its solar arrays and batteries, the car won’t have extra weight to carry, says Hartjes.
“Because it charges itself, the battery needs to be less big. It has less weight and all the components need to carry less weight, so they can also be lighter. Then the whole weight of the car goes down, the energy use of the car goes down and then you get the maximum benefit of solar panels on an electric car,” she told Reuters.
Hartjes says the car will be able to run all day using solar energy stored in its battery packs, and can be charged using an ordinary wall socket. In sunnier climates, the team sees the car running for months without needing to be charged.
While the team has high hopes for their vehicle, they have not yet released a prototype.
They hope to start production with industry partners by 2019, and will charge a starting price of 119,000 euros ($140,000 USD).
The Lightyear builds on the success of Eindhoven University of Technology’s Stella series of solar cars designed to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Lightyear was founded by five former members of the team.
The Solar Team Eindhoven has won the past two contests that run between Darwin and Adelaide in the Cruiser class with their Stella and Stella Lux four-seater models.
The start-up’s claims for the solar car’s range far exceed its competitors at the moment. Tesla’s P100D Model S has a top range of 542 km (337 miles) with a 100 kWh battery pack, while Lucid Motors’ Air electric vehicle has a 644 km (400 mile) range battery option.
Lightyear has not yet revealed the battery technology behind its ambitious concept.
Lightyear plans to deliver its first cars to the U.S. and European markets.
