Lightyear claims that the Lightyear 2 will cut a traditional electric vehicle's lifetime CO2 emissions in half. This highly-anticipated model also boasts a range of 500 miles on a single charge and has already received 21,000 preorders from ride-sharing and car-leasing firms. While the exact amount of solar-powered range was not disclosed, the car is expected to gain several additional miles per day from its solar panel feature, depending on the amount of sunlight available.
Lightyear has not released many other specifics about the Lightyear 2, but did mention that it will have a drag coefficient of 0.175, making it one of the more aerodynamic vehicles on the market. The 500-mile range estimate is based on the assumption that the car will be driven 15,000 miles per year in Chicago, with the sun contributing to the range.
The Lightyear 2, a crossover-style vehicle, follows in the footsteps of the futuristic Lightyear 0. The Lightyear 0 has a range of 388 miles and its solar panels are capable of adding more than 6,800 miles of range per year. However, with a price tag of over $263,000, it is unlikely to become a mainstream success.
Lightyear 0
Lightyear has opened a waitlist for interested buyers to enter their information and receive updates about the Lightyear 2. While a spokesperson for the company told Autoblog that the waitlist is primarily used to distribute information, signing up does give priority when preorders and reservations become available. If you are interested in purchasing the Lightyear 2, it is recommended that you sign up for the waitlist.
Source: Autoblog
