Lightyear develops Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV) technology that turns vehicle exteriors into solar power generators. This system allows electric vehicles to produce their own energy from sunlight, reducing grid dependency and extending driving range for a more sustainable mobility ecosystem.
Funding
$23M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
The increasing global demand for mobility strains existing power grids and contributes to climate change, while traditional electric vehicle charging infrastructure requires significant grid capacity and user planning. This creates a need for decentralized, sustainable energy solutions for transportation.
Solution
Lightyear provides Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV) technology that transforms vehicle exteriors into energy sources. Their system enables electric vehicles to generate their own power from sunlight, reducing reliance on grid charging infrastructure and extending driving range. This approach contributes to a more sustainable mobility ecosystem by decreasing CO₂ footprint and alleviating pressure on power grids. Lightyear focuses on supplying this technology to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and partners across the automotive industry, as well as other mobility sectors.
Target Audience
Primary customers are automotive OEMs, fleet operators, and manufacturers in the maritime and light commercial vehicle sectors seeking to integrate sustainable, grid-independent energy solutions into their products.
Features
- Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV) platform designed for seamless integration into vehicle surfaces.
- Back-contact monocrystalline silicon solar cells optimized for high energy yield under real-world conditions, including partial shading.
- Lightweight and flexible solar panels engineered to meet automotive standards and withstand environmental stressors.
- High module efficiency (up to 23%) and DC-DC conversion efficiency (approximately 95.5%) for maximum energy capture.
- Electrically tunable system compatible with both low-voltage and high-voltage battery architectures.
- Interleaved cell layout and smart bypass system to maintain power generation even with partial panel shading.
- Compliance with UNECE R43 automotive regulations for safety and durability.
- OEM integration support, including co-development, design, engineering, and testing services.
- Application across passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and maritime sectors.
- Data platform for monitoring energy generation and performance.