Lightyear One is one of the most interesting new EVs to be launched in 2022 because it promises to be among the most efficient cars on the market. The company recently tested the One at 130 km/h or 80.8 mph and it managed to drive over 400 km or 248 miles on one charge of its 60 kWh battery pack.
That’s considerably less compared to what the One achieved when it was tested last summer at a constant speed of 85 km/h or 52.8 mph when it achieved a very respectable 710 km or 440 miles, putting it in the same league as the Lucid Air (with around half the battery capacity). When they did that first range test in 2021, the vehicle achieved an average efficiency of 85 Wh/km or around 7.3 miles/kWh.
The first test was done in summer, it took nine hours to complete and during this time, the One’s solar panels generated 3.45 kWh. In the new test, done at 130 km/h, the One was still remarkably efficient, with a recorded average consumption of 141 Wh/km, equivalent to about 4.4 miles/kWh. Outside temperature was 10°C or 50°F and it also had an effect on the final range number.
According to Lightyear, the efficiency it recorded during this new test makes the One around 1.5 times more efficient compared to a regular EV that doesn’t have the solar charging or as big an emphasis on lightness and aerodynamics. So unlike the One, which is good for 400+ km, a more typical current EV would only go around 265 km (165 miles) on the same 60 kWh.
Lightyear Vehicle Test Coordinator Megan Parfitt explains that
If we compare with other vehicles right now, Lightyear One can drive one and a half times further than a directly-comparable vehicle with the same battery size.
We gradually increase the speed capability of the vehicle. Eventually, it will be capable of 160 km/h. But we increase it in stages to ensure safety and make sure that we're happy with the way the vehicle is performing.
Lightyear also says in the above video’s accompanying press release that its goal with the One is to produce the most efficient car ever made.
We have sights firmly set on launching the most efficient car on the market. That means building a vehicle that can withstand the trials of a challenging and changing world, and that's no small feat. It requires meticulous and continued testing.
These results tell us, in no uncertain terms, that we're well on the way to producing the most efficient car, ever.
Stay tuned for even better efficiency numbers and more groundbreaking developments.
