Las Vegas, Nevada, January 5, 2023 – Lightyear – the Dutch high-tech company producing the world’s first solar-powered electric car, Lightyear 0 – has opened the waitlist for its second production model, Lightyear 2. Powered by the sun, Lightyear 2 makes electric driving accessible and convenient at a more affordable price point than other long-range electric vehicles (EVs). Among the first regions for the launch of Lightyear 2 will be the US, UK, and EU, and production will start by the end of 2025 with an estimated price point of below € 40,000. Individual consumers can now also join the waitlist, and be first in line to pre-order their Lightyear 2 on the website. 

Pioneering the shift to clean mobility for everyone, everywhere

“Lightyear 2 will fast-track our mission of delivering clean mobility to everyone, everywhere. This is the first EV that allows consumers to prioritize sustainability, without compromising on practicality,” says Lex Hoefsloot, CEO and Co-Founder of Lightyear. “By harnessing the power of the sun, Lightyear 2 elevates the electric driving experience and reduces reliance on strained electricity grids. In fact, while Lightyear 2 vehicles require less charging from the electricity grid than a conventional EV, they also flip the script by providing clean energy back into the grid.” 

With Lightyear 2, drivers will halve their lifetime CO₂ emissions compared to a conventional EV and offer a real-life driving range of over 800 kilometers until your next charge. The company is encouraging people to reconsider their relationship with their vehicle and the energy that drives it. Solar EVs are the next generation of clean electric mobility, and Lightyear 2 is the vehicle set to democratize solar electric driving. With 21,000 pre-orders of Lightyear 2 from international leasing and ride-sharing partners, LeasePlan, MyWheels, Arval, and Athlon, even more drivers will benefit from solar electric driving across the globe.

Lightyear 2 changes the mobility landscape

According to EY’s mobility consumer index report, 52% of car buyers have considered purchasing an electric vehicle, but adoption rates continue to remain low due to barriers like anxiety around driving range, pricing, lack of home charging, and sparse public charging networks. The automotive industry’s strategy so far has added weight and emissions. Lightyear provides a solution to that by introducing this hyper-efficient solar electric vehicle. 

Hoefsloot continues, “Efficiency begins with careful planning and design. That’s why we engineer our cars for optimal aerodynamics, so we can reduce battery size and weight of the vehicle. And we are seeing the rewards of this, which can now be shared with many more.”