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Bridgestone Americas Press Center

April 22, 2021 Nashville, Tenn.

Bridgestone and Lightyear Combine Forces for the World’s First Long-Range Solar Electric Powered Car

Lightyear One Bridgestone Turanza Eco Hero
  • Custom Bridgestone tires were developed for Lightyear One with ENLITEN technology which promotes low rolling resistance and requires less raw materials in production contributing to performance and environmental impact.
  • Partnership between Lightyear and Bridgestone is a direct result of a shared focus on sustainability, and builds upon work together for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
  • Lightyear One will hit test tracks in Q2 2021 and be commercially available to customers in Europe by the end of the year.

Building on 90 years of expertise, Bridgestone, a global leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility, has announced an exclusive partnership with Netherlands-based mobility innovator Lightyear. Bridgestone has engineered tires specifically for Lightyear One, the world’s first long-range solar electric vehicle, which will be commercially available in Europe by the end of 2021.

Recent research from Bridgestone has shown that 50 percent of European drivers consider acquiring a fully electric vehicle, and yet 37 percent are still skeptical about doing so due to concerns around efficiency and limited range.

Lightyear One addresses these concerns head on by offering an unprecedented range of 450 miles (725 kilometers), while being up to three times more energy-efficient versus alternative electric vehicles currently on the market. The vehicle is charged directly by the sun through a large solar roof, minimizing CO2 emissions and the charging needs of the user while maximizing efficiency.

To ensure the vehicle’s highest efficiency, Lightyear sought a tire that offered very low rolling resistance and reduced weight to preserve battery life, maximize vehicle range, and reduce environmental impact. Bridgestone developed custom-engineered Turanza Eco tires for Lightyear One, combining its revolutionary lightweight ENLITEN and ologic™ technologies for the very first time. The technologies reduce weight through the use of fewer raw materials throughout the manufacturing process, while cutting rolling resistance through innovative tread patterns, larger diameters, high inflation pressures, and a slim design.

The very low rolling resistance of the tires also means Lightyear One can benefit from a lighter battery. As a result, the Turanza Eco tires are designed to boost range when compared to alternative Bridgestone EV-specific tires, equivalent to nearly 200 pounds

(90 kilogram) reduction in weight. In addition to helping Lightyear One travel further between charges, the tire’s silica dispersion has been improved by applying a new mixing technology with approximately a 10% overall reduction in the tire’s weight per vehicle, without any compromise on wear mileage and grip.

For the first time, the Turanza Eco tires will bear the new Bridgestone EV marking on the sidewalls. The Bridgestone EV marking is applied to tires that are tailor-made for electric vehicles and indicates the tires underwent a rigorous testing process to receive approval from car manufacturers. As a result, these tires support the unique features of electric vehicles and meet the car manufacturer’s requirements for battery range, vehicle control and tire wear life.

Bridgestone also utilized its Virtual Tire Development technology which enables accurate modelling of a tire’s performance without having to physically produce and test it, saving up to 25,000 miles (40,000 kilometers) in real-life outdoor and fleet testing. It can also cut product development time by up to 50 percent.

The foundation for Lightyear One was laid during the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 1,900 mile (3,000 kilometer) race across the Australian Outback that pushes the limits of technological innovation and solar-powered mobility. With this in mind, Bridgestone has been collaborating with Eindhoven Technical University and the people behind Lightyear for eight years. Solar Team Eindhoven, the birth ground of Lightyear, won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge’s Cruiser Cup four consecutive times, from 2013-2019.

Emilio Tiberio, COO & CTO of Bridgestone EMIA, explains: “Lightyear has impressed us with their approach to sustainable mobility ever since we saw the team take on the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, and we’re excited to play a part in the Lightyear One project. 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.”

Lex Hoefsloot, CEO of Lightyear, adds: “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. 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.”

For more Bridgestone Americas news, visit BridgestoneAmericas.com.


[1] Study of 3,000 consumers across European markets. Carried out by Bridgestone via Profacts Brand Tracker in January 2021

[2] Energy consumption comparison between Lightyear One tyre and existing Bridgestone regular production tyre 175/60 R19

[3] Weight of LY One tyre versus existing BS regular production tyre in same size (175/60 R19)

[4] Wear test was conducted between LY One tyre and existing BS regular production tyre in same size (175/60 R19)

[5] Virtual development can minimize or avoid altogether the outdoor testing (40,000 km) a combination of real-world fleet test and outdoor testing based on a 4-loop development. 40,000 km is an average of the current PSR development testing procedure carried out by TCE (outdoor and fleet)

Lightyear has impressed us with their approach to sustainable mobility ever since we saw the team take on the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, and we’re excited to play a part in the Lightyear One project.
Emilio Tiberio EMIA
Emilio Tiberio COO & CTO of Bridgestone EMIA Click to Tweet

About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.: 

Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. BSAM also is engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produces air springs, roofing materials and industrial fibers and textiles. BSAM also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, the company is dedicated to improving the way people live, work, move and play in all of the communities it calls home.

About Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa:

Bridgestone in Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), headquartered in Zaventem (Belgium), is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader providing sustainable mobility and advanced solutions. In addition to its premium tyre products, BSEMIA offers a growing portfolio of tyre-centric and mobility solutions, and serves its customers in an extensive retail network with thousands of touchpoints. Together with its partners and guided by its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, Bridgestone is dedicated to shaping a sustainable future of mobility and improving how people move, live, work and play.

About Lightyear

Lightyear is on a mission to make clean mobility available to everyone, everywhere. Lightyear develops electric cars with an energy-efficient design and integrated solar cells. This allows motorists, depending on the climate, to drive up to twenty thousand kilometers per year on the power of the sun. The fast-growing company was founded in 2016 and currently employs more than one hundred forty employees. The team is made up out of a mix of young talent and experience from the automotive industry, including former employees of Tesla, Audi, McLaren and Ferrari. In 2019, Lightyear received the Horizon 2020 grant from the European Commission under grant agreement number 848620. In the summer of 2019, Lightyear launched its first driving prototype, Lightyear One, and opened a new office. The prestigious TIME Magazine acknowledged Lightyear One as one of the ‘100 best inventions’ of 2019. The first deliveries are expected at the end of 2021, with production of the exclusive series of 946 cars ramping up in 2022.

For interview requests and more information about Lightyear, please contact:

Tessa Dekkers, PR

Tel: +31 (0)681946632

press@lightyear.one

www.lightyear.one

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