For the first time, this year’s iconic parade that preceded cyclists at La Vuelta went carbon-neutral. La Vuelta Holanda invited Lightyear 0, amid other electric and hydrogen vehicles, to showcase clean mobility behind the world’s first green parade at a cycling event, De Groene Karavaan.
La Vuelta is one of the biggest cycling events in the world. It sees top international riders race a total of 21 dynamic stages across three fierce weeks of competition. Each summer, the opening three days take place in Utrecht and Brabant, the Netherlands, to form La Vuelta Holanda.
Thousands of cycling enthusiasts flock to enjoy the sporting spectacle of skill and human endeavour. And this year, attendees of La Vuelta in the Netherlands were able to enjoy an innovative and sustainable twist.
Lightyear at La Vuelta Holanda
At centre stage and flanked by a bright and energetic crowd, Lightyear 0 helped open routes and motivate visitors ahead of the action. And joining us for part of the adventure were two special passengers, Pepijn and Mick, who won the chance to ride in Lightyear 0 as part of the parade
Pepijn, who studies at TU Delft, said: "As a technical student, riding in Lightyear 0 was a dream come true!"
Everything I've read and seen on TV became reality. It was very motivating getting all our questions answered, and the team was so open and welcoming. We had an amazing experience at La Vuelta Holanda!"
As well as seeing Lightyear 0 shine behind De Groene Karavaan, visitors also got the chance to discover the world’s first production-ready solar car at the end of each parade. From 19 — 21 August, our team was on hand to show attendees around our car, answering questions about its unique and exciting features.
Fusing sustainability and sport
Pioneering innovation isn’t easy. We understand the work it takes just to get into the game, and how hard it can be to endure the knocks and hurdles along the way.
But we also know how it feels to pour triumphantly over a finish line. Lightyear was founded by champions, when one bright team decided to develop the technology that won the World Solar Challenge four years consecutively.
That meant we were especially proud to belong to La Vuelta Holanda's first green parade; an important message of making world-class sport spectacular and sustainable.
Lightyear Partner Marketing Manager, Alejandra Malagon, said: “This year, La Vuelta Holanda and De Groene Karavaan set the stage with clean, emission-free kilometres. The first green parade was a great indication that the cycling world is ready to start showcasing and moving toward cleaner events. It was special for us to be there, forming part of this amazing message.”
Curious to learn how far solar kilometres will take us? Subscribe to our mailing list to stay informed about Lightyear’s journey as we progress towards production.
