Lightyear EV Is Sun Powered, Has a Claimed 500-Mile Range, Will Cost under $40K

• The Lightyear 2 is an upcoming solar-powered EV, and a waiting list as well as more details about it were announced at CES 2023.
• The Dutch startup automaker, Lightyear, claims its second model will have more than 500 miles of range and cost under $40,000.
• The Lightyear 2 will be the first model sold in the U.S., with production expected to start by the end of 2025.

No, the Lightyear 2 isn’t a sequel to the Pixar film about Buzz Lightyear, but the solar-powered EV is a follow-up to the Lightyear Zero. The latter is the first-ever model from Lightyear, a Dutch startup automaker. While the Zero—a limited-production $265,000 proof of concept—was never destined for the North American market, the Lightyear 2 will make it to our shores, provided all goes to plan.

All the Buzz about the Lightyear 2

Earlier this year, during our drive of a pre-production development Zero, we learned about Lightyear’s ambitions to bring its second model to America. However, it was today at CES 2023 when we learned more details about the Lightyear 2 and heard that the company had opened a waitlist for pre-orders.

For those who haven’t figured it out by now, Lightyear’s big thing is harnessing the power of the sun to power its electric cars, at least partially. The company claims this helps reduce reliance on the world’s electrical grids, with Lightyear CEO Lex Hoefsloot saying the 2 requires less plug-in charging than conventional EVs. He also said the car is capable of sending clean energy back into the grid

As with many startups, Lightyear makes some big claims about its upcoming model. The company says that, compared with EVs not powered by solar energy, the 2 will produce half as much carbon emissions. Its sun-powered car is also claimed to have a driving range of over 500 miles. However, Lightyear didn’t clarify whether that figure is based on the U.S. EPA scale, the European WLTP cycle, or simply in-house projections.

Light Years Away? More Like Two Years

Along with plans to sell the Lightyear 2 in the United States, the company says it will launch the EV in Europe. The U.S. version is said to start under $40,000, which, if true, would make it one of the more affordable electric models sold on our shores.

Production isn’t slated to start until the end of 2025, which means a lot could change between now and then. Not only the Lightyear 2’s attractive base price, but also its actual existence.

This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.