The Lightyear One is powered by the sun using 54 square feet of solar panels covering the roof and hood. And Lightyear's 29-year-old CEO thinks his car can change the electric car market.

But as exciting as a solar-powered car is, it's still unproven outside of demos and prototypes. SEE ALSO: Hummer factory gets second life making electric cars The Lightyear team claims the car can ...

The four-year-old firm got its first big jolt this year when a new state law made it legal to drive solar-powered cars -- basically souped-up golf carts with a top speed of about 25 mph -- on city ...