Following the Lightyear Zero model, the debut vehicle from Dutch startup carmaker Lightyear, the Dutch automaker company discloses details about their second electric vehicle model, Lightyear 2.
According to Car and Driver, an American automotive enthusiast magazine, Lightyear 2 is expected to be the first Lightyear model sold in the US, amounting to less than $40,000. Additionally, the EV is said to be solar-powered and claims to have a range of more than 500 miles.
By the end of 2025, the production of the EV is assumed to begin.
While the Zero, a limited-production $265,000 proof of concept, was never intended for the North American market, the Lightyear 2 is speculated to arrive on North American roads.
What about Lightyear 2?
Lightyear’s key innovation involves using the sun’s energy to power its electric vehicles partially.
Lightyear CEO Lex Hoefsloot stated that the Lightyear 2 requires less plug-in charging than typical EVs and that the vehicle can reintroduce clean energy to the system. The Dutch automaker claims it aids in lessening dependency on the world’s electrical grids.
The Dutch automaker claims big things about Lightyear 2. One of the company’s claims is that the Lightyear 2 will generate half as much carbon emissions as an electric vehicle not powered by solar energy.
Another claim of the company is that their solar-powered vehicle has more than 500 miles of driving range. However, Lightyear did not specify if that number was based on the United States EPA scale, the European WLTP cycle, or even in-house projections.
An interesting fact that the Car and Driver disclosed is that at CES 2023, they discovered that the EV company had opened a waitlist for pre-orders on their second model.
Lightyear 2 is to be released in 2 years
Things such as Lightyear 2’s tempting starting price, range, and even existence could still change, given that Lightyear 2’s production is expected to begin at the end of 2025.
The Dutch automaker will also introduce Lightyear 2 in the European market. The US price is displayed to cost less than $40,000, making it one of the country’s most reasonably priced electric vehicles.
