Dutch startup Lightyear has chosen Finnish contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive to build the solar-assisted electric car, Lightyear One.
Prototype builds are scheduled to begin in January 2022, followed by full production in the summer of 2022, according to a press release from Lightyear. Additional performance testing, optimization, and regulatory homologation are yet to be conducted in the coming months, the company noted.
Valmet is a well-established contract manufacturer with some previous experience with electric vehicles. It produced the Fisker Karma before Fisker Automotive faced financial troubles and assembled the Think City electric car before that. Numerous other vehicles, including the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, Porsche Boxster, and various Saab models, have also rolled off Valmet’s assembly lines over the years.
While Valmet doesn’t build its own vehicles otherwise, it showcased a very peculiar mobility concept in 2012. Called the Dawn, it featured a strange-looking body that leaned towards the ground and exposed powertrain components.
Although this strategy wasn’t enough to save Fisker from financial ruin, using a contract manufacturer avoids the cost and complexity of opening a new factory or repurposing an existing one. However, most other electric vehicle startups go down that path.
The Lightyear One incorporates a solar roof that, according to the company, can provide enough electricity for 70% to 90% of the annual mileage under optimal conditions. This allows drivers to largely avoid charging and means Lightyear can manage without a massive battery pack. On a closed circuit, a prototype was able to cover 440 miles on a single charge of its 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack, according to the company.
