Lightyear

Lightyear is a Dutch technology company, legally known as Atlas Technologies B.V., that develops solar charging systems and solar electric vehicles. Founded in 2016 by a group of friends who had competed in the World Solar Challenge in Australia, the company set out to build electric cars that could charge both from the grid and from integrated solar panels. Its first vehicle, originally called the Lightyear One and later renamed the Lightyear 0, was a highly aerodynamic five-seat sedan with five square meters of solar cells built into its bodywork. The company presented the car publicly in June 2019 and began series production in December 2022 through the Finnish contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive. In January 2023, Lightyear announced it was halting production of the Lightyear 0 to concentrate on the development of a more affordable successor, the Lightyear 2, targeted at under €40,000. At the end of January 2023, the operating company Atlas Technologies was declared insolvent, although the parent company Atlas Technologies Holding was not. In August 2023, a €3.5 million investment agreement with the South Korean ship producer Sunbo Angel Partners was announced, alongside €8 million already provided by another investor group, with total funding needs of around €50 million. In October 2023, the company confirmed it was also ending development of the second model and would focus solely on flexible solar cells as a supplier to the automotive industry, a path similar to that taken by Sono Motors. Today, Lightyear describes itself as a developer of scalable cutting-edge solar charging systems for grid-independent solar electric vehicles. Its strategy has two pillars: first, commercializing its Lightyear Solar Charging System, which was proven in the Lightyear 0, by bringing solar charging roofs and other body parts to the global vehicle industry; and second, contributing positively to the energy transition by making electric vehicles more efficient. The company is led by a Management Board and supervised by a Supervisory Board, with Dr. Bonna Newman serving as Chief Executive Officer. Its headquarters are in the Netherlands, and its website is lightyear.one.

Lightyear's origins lie in a group of friends who competed in the World Solar Challenge in Australia, where they presented the first fully solar-powered family car and won first place four years in a row. In 2016, they began developing the Lightyear One, later renamed Lightyear 0. Between 2016 and 2019, crowdfunding campaigns raised more than five million euros for the project. In June 2019, the vehicle was unveiled to the public and could be reserved via the company website with a deposit. In December 2022, series production started through the Finnish contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive. However, in January 2023, Lightyear announced that production of the Lightyear 0 was discontinued, with efforts to be concentrated on developing the successor model Lightyear 2, planned to cost around €40,000. At the end of January 2023, the operating company Atlas Technologies was declared insolvent, while the parent company Atlas Technologies Holding was not. In August 2023, an investment agreement with South Korean ship producer Sunbo Angel Partners worth €3.5 million was announced, with another €8 million already provided by a different investor group; total funding needs were around €50 million. In October 2023, it was announced that development of the second model was also discontinued. Similar to Sono Motors, the company would henceforth focus solely on flexible solar cells as supplier parts for the automotive industry. Today, Lightyear describes itself as developing scalable cutting-edge solar charging systems to create grid-independent solar electric vehicles, with a strategy to bring its Lightyear Solar Charging System to the global vehicle industry, starting with solar charging roofs and other body parts.

• Company founded; development of Lightyear One begins

• Crowdfunding campaigns raise more than €5 million

• Lightyear One unveiled to the public; reservations open

• Lightyear One renamed Lightyear 0

• Series production starts via Valmet Automotive

• Production of Lightyear 0 discontinued; focus shifts to Lightyear 2

• Atlas Technologies declared insolvent

• Investment agreement with Sunbo Angel Partners announced

• Development of second model discontinued; pivot to solar cell supply

Premium solar electric mobility and automotive solar technology supplier, emphasizing grid independence, efficiency, and sustainability.

• Lightyear 0 (formerly Lightyear One)

  A five-seat solar electric sedan with five square meters of solar panels integrated into the bodywork, a 60 kWh battery, and a claimed range of 625 km. Production was discontinued in January 2023.

• Lightyear 2

  Planned second model with a target price under €40,000 and market launch planned for no later than 2025. Development was discontinued in October 2023.

• Lightyear Solar Charging System

  Solar charging technology first proven in the Lightyear 0, now offered to the global vehicle industry as solar charging roofs and body parts.

1. 1Lightyear | Making Vehicles Solar-Poweredlightyear.one
2. 2Lightyear - Aboutlightyear.one
3. 3Atlas Technologies B.V. - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Lightyear (Unternehmen) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org