Solar-powered car due 2019

Lightyear One, a fully solar-powered vehicle due to be released in 2019, has won an award.

The Dutch Lightyear firm’s car that charges itself and is reported to have a 400-800km range grabbed the Climate Change Innovators Award at the CES 2018 technology show in Las Vegas on January 9-12.

The award goes to companies which have the biggest potential for carbon dioxide reduction.

The first 10 Lightyear One cars are expected to be released in 2019, followed by about 100 the next year.

Reservations are being taken, the car priced from about 119,000 euros (NZ$201,707).

Lightyear One overcomes some of the conventional challenges associated with the technology, such as intermittency and low performance, Futurism reports.

Lightyear was founded by five Solar Team Eindhoven alumni, the team involved in building solar cars the Stella and Stella Lux to win the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge Cruiser Class. The company now has more than 30 people.

Signs of solar powered transport are appearing, with Australia’s Byron Bay Railroad Company creating the first fully solar-powered train last year.

Visit lightyear.one

for more information.