Lightyear One solar-supplemented EV now claims to be most aerodynamic carLightyear One solar-supplemented EV now claims to be most aerodynamic car

Dutch startup Lightyear claims its One electric car is the most aerodynamic car in the world, thanks to a Cd below 0.20, the company announced Tuesday.
“During a week of testing in a windtunnel facility in Turin, the Lightyear team was able to validate their simulation models and confirm a drag coefficient (Cd) below 0.20,” Lightyear said in its announcement. “This means a newly established record in aerodynamics for Lightyear One. The exact number will be made public when the car is fully developed. With the results as they stand, Lightyear One will likely be the most aerodynamic car available in the market.”
Much like America’s Aptera, which has been revived and is now in development again thanks to a crowd-funding effort, Lightyear’s approach to efficiency is based on aerodynamic performance. Ironically, it’s the Dutch firm that touts its expertise in long-range solar experimentation as key advantage in developing its retail car, even though its final product sports a far more conventional design than Aptera’s, which more closely resembles a prototype from a well-funded college engineering program. 
The four-time “World Solar Challenge” Champions nonetheless applied their knowledge and experience to the Lightyear One, which leans on its roof-mounted solar array to realize its full range potential.
The company claims the One is capable of going 400 miles on a single charge under ideal (read: sunny) conditions, versus just 250 miles otherwise, due in part to its ability to replenish 7.5 miles of range per hour from the sun alone. Lightyear says the company’s ultimate goal is to contribute to a grid-independent future.
All of that is baked into a car that Lightyear claims will offer the passenger capacity of a five-seat sedan along with the cargo capacity of an SUV. The Lightyear One is due to hit the market in 2021. 

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