After two-and-a-half years of development on its clean-sheet electric architecture, the Lightyear One has been named the world’s most aerodynamic automobile, according to the Dutch startup Lightyear. “The Lightyear team was able to validate their simulation models and confirm a drag coefficient (Cd) below 0.20 during a week of testing in a wind tunnel facility in Turin,” Lightyear claimed in its announcement.

“This means that Lightyear One has set a new aerodynamics record. When the car is fully developed, the exact number will be made public. Lightyear One will most likely be the most aerodynamic car available on the market based on the current results.”

Lightyear has a radical goal as well; the firm is dedicated to making electric driving available on a broad scale, including grid-independent solar cars. Grid-independent means convention-independence for Lightyear, as it selects an approach that distinguishes it from existing EV manufacturers, who focus on conventional attributes like speed and range.

Related: What's The Buzz? Hyper-Efficient Lightyear One Solar Electric Car To Upend Electric Car Market

The Lightyear One: An Engineering Masterpiece

Lightyear_One
Via: The Driven

Lightyear’s desire for a sleek design has less to do with winning prizes and more to do with boosting the One’s efficiency and, ultimately, total range; the One’s target range is 400 miles on a single charge, assuming enough sunlight. The company is aiming for a range of at least 250 miles in less-than-ideal conditions. The EV market, which is still in its infancy, is ripe for superlatives. Lightyear’s claim to having the most aerodynamic vehicle was previously hinted at by Aptera, a former startup that is now crowd-funded and appears to have settled for “most efficient” rather than “best aero.”

To give Lightyear credit, the One’s design, which is inspired by the Citroën DS, is a considerably more traditional automotive shape than Aptera’s, which looks more like something out of a college engineering project than anything you’d find on the market. A flat underbody, a long tail that tapers to regulate the wind, wheel skirts to control airflow along the sides of the car, and side cameras instead of mirrors are all aero-friendly elements.

Underneath that façade, the Lightyear One has a rather standard electric car construction. To save weight and avoid the requirement for a conventional transmission, it uses a normal “skateboard” style chassis with an in-floor battery pack and in-wheel electric motors. The solar panels are crucial to the One’s design, as Lightyear envisions it as part of a grid-independent EV future, although we don’t anticipate that to happen until well after the car’s expected release in 2021.

Related: Here's Everything We Know About Aptera's Upcoming EV

The Lightyear One: A Car That Ticks All Dependability Boxes

Lightyear_One
Via: Inside EV

The heating system, rolling resistance, and aerodynamics all play a role in how much energy Lightyear One uses and hence how efficient it is. Because air resistance increases with velocity, aerodynamics is a large energy user, especially at higher speeds. The car responds to the problem by using a design that reduces air resistance and has a low drag coefficient. A good (low) drag coefficient indicates a more fuel-efficient vehicle that uses less energy and so travels further.

At high speeds, aerodynamic design becomes even more critical, which is why Lightyear One’s smooth curves and organic shapes are so important. However, there is a delicate balance to be struck; Lightyear One focuses on combining aerodynamic dimensions with elegant appearance, solar panel integration, (780L) storage space, and a user-friendly experience.

The Lightyear One's Practicality Showdown: An Amazing Performance Test

Lightyear_One
Via: CNN

Examining real-world performance is an important step in achieving that balance. “We have a lot of information already, but we want to finish this trifecta,” says the Lightyear One's team. Also, Federico Garcia, an aerodynamic engineer, explains further, saying “what we’re looking for here is information on how the car acts in a natural setting.” Driving at speeds up to 81 mph, obtaining wake measurements of air pressure around the automobile, and measuring power consumption were all part of the tests.

Annemiek Koers, an aerodynamic engineer, was also part of the crew doing the tests in Aprilia and described how they went. “We use custom-made rakes to take measurements around the car.” The rakes Annemiek is referring to are grid structures with sensors that are put in various locations on the car. “Those sensors are connected to a data acquisition system, Annemiek explains. With that device, we can measure pressure in various points around the car.”

The Lightyear One Is An EV That Doesn't Come Cheap: Key Outcomes Of The Test

Lightyear_One
Via: Forbes

Now that the aerodynamics testing trinity of the wind tunnel, CFD, and real-world tests are complete, we can move forward with some genuinely meaningful results. The results of the road tests shows that Lightyear is on pace to build the world’s most aerodynamic 5-seater, with a drag coefficient of less than 0.20. (Cd). The experiments provided detailed information on the aerodynamics of our validation prototype, which will be critical in the development of the most fuel-efficient vehicle.

While Lightyear One is slated to be the company’s high-end first model, with a price tag of roughly $170,000 when it goes on sale in Europe, Lightyear Two, the company’s second planned automobile, is expected to be the low-cost, mass-market model. The Lightyear Two is set to debut in 2024 at the earliest and is expected to compete in price with other electric sedans of similar size. It may also make its way to North America.

Source: Autoweek, Motorauthority, thedriven, Lightyear.