The future of car mobility seems to be determined in the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Earlier we reported on student start-up Amber Mobility, the first self-driving on-demand car service that plans to become operational next year. Last week another start-up by Technical University Eindhoven (TU/e) students made it to the finals of the Postcode Loterij Green Challenge with their solar powered Lightyear car.
In a live talk show on Dutch television, the Lightyear team received the news that they made it to the finals of the Postcode Loterij Green Challenge, which earned them already 100.000 euros. Chosen from over 500 companies they will contest with four other finalists for the main prize of 500.000 euros.
Endless electric driving
Lightyear is an electric car that is charged by solar panels on the roof providing it a driving range of 10.000 to 20.000 kilometres per year, depending on local conditions. In addition, when needed, the car can be charged from the grid using a regular, household power plug. It means that the Lightyear One, due to come available in 2019 at a prize starting at 119.000 euros, will take you anywhere.
The Lightyear will mean a revolution in electric driving, based on the successes of the student solar team with their solar cars Stella and Stella Lux. With these cars the Solar team Eindhoven twice won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in the Cruiser Class.
The five finalists in the Postcode Loterij Green Challenge will pitch their companies during the finals on 14 September.
Flax car
Amber Mobility and Ligthyear aren’t the only revolutionary developments from Eindhoven. Yet another team of TU/e students developed a car made of flax. The super-light (300 kg) and hence super-efficient car, called Lina, is made of an innovative structural bio composite material made from flax. This material has a structure that is comparable with carbon fibre, but more than 90 per cent biological. In addition, the Lina has battery packs that are easy to swap.
WDCD Climate Action Challenge
Are you working on a great idea for carbon free driving too? Enter your project to the WDCD Climate Action Challenge and get a chance to win your share of the 900,000 euro prize package to help you realize your plans. The open call lasts until 24 September.