Bridgestone has entered into an exclusive partnership with Lightyear to engineer tires specifically for the Lightyear One, the world’s first long-range solar electric vehicle (SEV) set for commercial availability by the end of this year. The partners’ efforts are reinforced by recent research by Bridgestone showing that nearly 50% of European drivers would consider acquiring a fully electric vehicle, and yet 37% are still skeptical about doing so due to concerns around efficiency and limited range.
Lightyear One is being developed to address these concerns by offering a WLTP range of 725 km (450 mi) while being up to three times more energy-efficient—at 83 W·h/km—versus other electric vehicles currently on the market. The vehicle is charged directly by the sun through a large solar roof, minimizing CO2 emissions and a user’s charging needs while maximizing efficiency.
To achieve this performance, Lightyear is pushing the boundaries of current technology, designing a vehicle that boasts the best aerodynamic coefficient—at less than 0.20—of any production car to date, and through substantial gains in other areas of vehicle design. To support this unique performance and further improve on efficiency, Lightyear sought a tire that offered very low rolling resistance and weight reduction to preserve battery life, maximize vehicle range, and reduce environmental impact.
Bridgestone developed the custom-engineered Turanza Eco tires for Lightyear One, combining its lightweight Enliten and Ologic technologies for the first time. The technologies reduce weight through the use of fewer raw materials throughout the manufacturing process while cutting rolling resistance through an innovative tread, larger diameters, high inflation pressures, and slim design.
The low rolling resistance of the tires means that the Lightyear One can benefit from a lighter battery. In fact, the new Turanza Eco tires even boost range when compared to other Bridgestone EV-specific tires that are the equivalent of more than a 90-kg (198-lb) reduction in vehicle weight. In addition to helping the car to travel further between charges, the tire’s silica dispersion has been improved by applying a new mixing technology. This is said to result in a 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) overall reduction in the tire’s weight per vehicle (around 10%), without compromising wear and grip.
The Turanza Eco tire’s sidewalls will for the first time bear the new Bridgestone EV marking, applied to tires that are tailor-made for EVs. The marking indicates they underwent a rigorous testing process to receive approval from car manufacturers for battery range, vehicle control, and tire wear.
Bridgestone’s virtual-development technology has enabled accurate modeling of a tire’s performance without having to physically produce and test it, saving up to 40,000 km (24,900 mi) in real-life outdoor and fleet testing. It can also cut product development time by up to 50%.
The foundation for Lightyear One was laid during the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3000-km (1860-mi) race across the Australian Outback that pushes the limits of technological innovation and solar-powered mobility. Bridgestone collaborated with Eindhoven Technical University and the people behind Lightyear for eight years. Solar Team Eindhoven, a breeding ground for Lightyear staff, won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge’s Cruiser Cup four consecutive times from 2016 to 2019.
“Lightyear have impressed with their approach to sustainable mobility ever since we saw the team take on the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, and so we’re excited to play a part in the Lightyear One project,” said Emilio Tiberio, COO & CTO of Bridgestone EMIA. “Bridgestone is committed to a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 and 100% sustainable materials by 2050 and strategic partnerships are fundamental to achieving these goals.”
“We’re particularly happy to see this collaboration between Bridgestone and Lightyear, with two companies that share a vision for future sustainable mobility coming together,” added Lex Hoefsloot, CEO of Lightyear. “The world is already experiencing unprecedented change and challenges, and through innovation and cutting-edge technologies we can work together to grasp the opportunities head-on and create a more sustainable world.”
Plans call for Lightyear One to hit test tracks in the second quarter of 2021 and be commercially available by the end of this year. Helping toward those goals was the latest funding round announced in March led by Zero Point Holding B.V., for a total raise of $48 million.
Just this month Lightyear announced that two former McLaren experts are now part of its sustainable mobility team. Those key hires were Philippe Humbrecht is now Head of Project Management, and Edwin de Kreij has been working as a Senior Systems Architect.
Lightyear is commercializing its highly efficient electric vehicle with integrated solar cells to minimize the charging needs and grid dependency of electric vehicles. Its patent portfolio covers innovations for an efficient powertrain, high yield solar roof, and optimized thermal management system. The Lightyear One is expected to be able to recharge from its own solar roof up to 80% of the annual yield for an average driver in San Francisco.
Lightyear is in the final phase of selecting a production partner.
