Lightyear 0 Solar Car Review: Is this the Tesla Roadster of solar cars?

The Lightyear 0 is the Tesla Roadster of solar cars. It's an expensive proof of concept, with only 964 available for €250,000, but the company hopes to prove solar vehicles are viable. To do it, they've created this, an ultra-aerodynamic, wildly efficient EV that is one of the most efficient vehicles ever made. And I got to drive it.
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00:00 Intro
01:02 How It Works
03:00 Efficiency
03:39 Gliding Like A Spaceship
04:36 Aerodynamics
06:03 In-Wheel Motors
07:01 Range
08:20 Convincing a Skeptic
09:00 It's Like The Tesla Roadster

[@subhanrana6114]

So basically it’s get like 2 miles a year in the UK through solar

[@PhaseSkater]

homie said '' take your foot off the gas'' at 4:05 in an EV. haha

[@iamjoehill]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@patrickh.1400]

@@iamjoehill 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤩

[@yougeo]

168 watt hours per mile at 60 mph mean you use 10,080 watt/hr in an hour to go 60 miles. Since you are real world getting 660 watts from the panels on that sunny drive then you would only make 660 watt hours in one hour. That very short of being able to drive 100% on solar on a sunny day which surprises me given their origins of pure solar racing. Not a terrible thing because people only use their car for 30 minutes or an hour a day and a typical commute I would guess but still I did think they were further along.

[@kaydesign]

Best review I’ve seen. Compliments!

[@prndlcars]

Wow, thanks!

[@vincepurser764]

I realize Aptera isn't in full production yet... but they are very close. Not comparing it to this ridiculously priced monstrosity is a huge miss.

[@sesisesi2027]

How you change a tire? What happends if at high speed you hit a pothole and break the tyre and rim?

[@peterfarla]

You can order the car with or without the wheel covers.

[@Grant5321]

The hub motors I’ve seen just change like normal tires. This looks a bit more involved but I’m sure it’s not impossible. Aptera has a similar hub motor but it looks a bit more conventional to swap tires. I’m sure it uses some super fancy efficient tire though regardless of how easy it is to swap.

[@CT37BN]

They just halted production of this car. Read somewhere will make a more affordable Lightyear 2 version.

[@prndlcars]

We'll see...

[@mjcraig4887]

I want one. Can we hope for it to be available in the USA within the next 5 years? Or will I need to move overseas?

[@user-ht6ql1rn3w]

@@mysticalpipes1138 then you will see donkeys riding donkeys

[@junboo8730]

@Mystical Pipes Correct if the current president continues in power.

[@ozanoutcast]

My heart still beats for the beautifully designed GM EV1. Although this is a break through on its own.

[@costantinomanchisi8981]

Interessante ma è da perfezionare!…Ricordo che i primi veicoli Diesel erano deludenti come prestazioni e il rumore ricordava dei trattori ma oggi sono meglio dei motori a benzina!…Questa tecnologia è da migliorare e poi chissà potrà essere il nostro futuro senza rimpiangere le prestazioni dei motori a scoppio con tutti benefici per l’ambiente e l’aria che respiriamo!…😉👍🏻

[@gbpg2016]

Great car and specs but it's about 150k to much.

[@gehrigornelas6317]

Does it have bidirectional charging? The true gamechanger is when this sort of vehicle can do vehicle to home and vehicle to grid.

[@djgate]

If you use it to power your home then you wont have transport, best to have dedicated roof top solar for the home that could produce more power and even add to the car when low.

[@gehrigornelas6317]

@@djgate I prefer flexibility. And you can set what level you are not willing to give passed.

[@gronz]

@@gehrigornelas6317 bidirectional charging will affect the battery at some point ,why invest so much in a new technology car and in the end you would use the battery to supply energy to your house. Better add another battery to your house itself. You selected the wrong game changer.

[@gehrigornelas6317]

@Mike Hak very minimally, over a long period of time. And for that, without spending thousands of dollars extra my car will serve the purpose of multiple battery systems when needed. And with VtoG will be able to make me money while it is parked.

[@gronz]

pretty good review, just the technology I doubt,

[@jameswoll]

2:22 - Can anyone tell me why you would want a *little* bit of cloud cover?

[@omnianima4540]

While solar panels need sunlight to function, intense sunlight and high temperatures can lead to inefficiencies. Solar panels typically range between 10-20% efficiency, when tested to 25° (though under lab conditions, some photovoltaic cells can reach 46% efficiency). Above this threshold, generation will begin to fall. This is because the materials used to make solar panels - metal and silicon cells - are good conductors of heat, heating after extended exposure to the sun, reducing the efficacy of the unit. This leads to a subsequent decrease in output capacity, generally of 0.5% per degree.

[@patrickh.1400]

@@omnianima4540 Great job with the accurate explanation. 👍👍

[@omnianima4540]

@@patrickh.1400 Thanks fam, literally copied it from my Google search to help the fella out

[@omnianima4540]

Like I love the idea, but why would you not just combine conventional electric cars with this solar idea, it would make the normal electricity way more efficient plus allow the use of this car not only on optimal sunny places, which would allow a more widespread use. Or would the "normal" charging make the car too heavy so that the solar energy couldn't compensate for it's efficiency?

[@omnianima4540]

@Will Swift My question was basically if you can charge it by plugging it into an e-charger

[@yougeo]

Yes of course you can charge it the regular way.

[@omnianima4540]

@@yougeo Makes sense, then why arent we funding this??

[@jackbreese7542]

I know how to make it better. Next level.

[@MaximGhost]

Vaporware

[@Yeahyeah-ic8xm]

Cept he’s driving it

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Well, this did not age well. Lightyear is bankrupt.

[@prndlcars]

Tesla almost went bankrupt a few times. These guys just got there a bit faster!

[@kristimilostan1085]

How many cup holders 🥤 ?

[@prndlcars]

Two up front! Not sure about the back. No door pockets, but the console storage bin is MASSIVE

[@JanJaapvanDijk]

oops, you have a dent. That will cost you a new solar panel :)

[@nickhurley2472]

I’m sold