Lightyear, sure, Lightyear (keep in mind them?), is reemerging from the ashes of a failed photo voltaic electrical automobile enterprise and has simply secured 10 million euros to spice up its operation of growing and offering different OEMs with superior photo voltaic methods. This isn’t the Lightyear you keep in mind, however it’s preventing on in its unique quest to carry extra sustainable power to the automotive {industry}.
Lightyear is a well-known identify on the Electrek homepage, however now a distant reminiscence in such a fast-paced {industry} of innovation and failed startups. Lightyear’s preliminary iteration was an thrilling seven-year journey that inevitably ended up in shuttered doorways and disappointment for fanatics like ourselves rooting for somebody to efficiently carry Photo voltaic EVs to the plenty.
Like many startups, the photo voltaic EV firm demonstrated some inspiring and potential industry-changing know-how, nevertheless it fell brief resulting from an absence of funds. In early 2023, following a show of its second SEV mannequin at CES, Lightyear introduced it was submitting for chapter, promoting off all of its belongings, together with its 0 SEV prototypes, with a purpose to regroup and check out once more.
By April 2023, Lightyear introduced it had efficiently restructured as a staff of about 100, down from the unique 600 initially employed, because it labored to pay again its collectors and as soon as once more concentrate on Lightyear 2 growth, nonetheless led by founder and CEO Lex Hoefsloot.
Nonetheless, Lightyear would stumble once more resulting from an absence of funding, which led to the ousting of Hoefsloot and the abandonment of Photo voltaic EV growth altogether; a tragic day within the {industry}. This previous January, Lightyear reemerged from the mire led by two new executives, together with new CEO Dr. Bonna Newman, who has a PhD in Atom Physics from MIT, to develop and promote photo voltaic methods to different OEMs.
Information across the firm has remained comparatively quiet since then, however Lightyear has simply secured a big chunk of funding to bolster its employees and as soon as once more, proceed to push ahead in hopes of profitiablity.
Lightyear seems to carry superior photo voltaic methods to all
Immediately, Lightyear introduced the securing of over 10 million euros in funding—its largest elevate up to now since its restart. The startup acknowledged one other difficult 12 months in its rearview and says the contemporary funding will make sure the continued manufacturing of its ultra-efficient onboard photo voltaic methods designed for autos, together with photo voltaic panels on automobile rooftops just like the SEV fashions that preceded its present enterprise iteration.
Lightyear CEO Bonna Newman spoke to the funding spherical and what it means for the way forward for the photo voltaic methods specialist:
Due to the enthusiastic help of our traders, we’re excited and targeted on the long run. We’ll use this chance to develop our staff of specialists and technicians to change into the main provider of on-board photo voltaic methods for autos, and proceed the Lightyear mission of bringing clear mobility options to everybody.
Lightyear 2.0 states that the 10M euros in funding will assist it strengthen its industrial positioning in the direction of automotive firms, led by its onboard photo voltaic methods. The corporate stated that know-how is the “first of many patented photo voltaic mobility applied sciences” it intends to carry to the market. It additionally stated that a number of patented applied sciences have already been confirmed viable and can change into obtainable to OEMs within the close to future.
The funding can even allow Lightyear to develop its staff of specialists and technicians because it seeks to change into the main provider of car onboard photo voltaic methods. Good luck, guys; we’re rooting for you.
Electrek’s take
That is encouraging information because the Lightyear identify lives on. Nonetheless, stories like this simply aren’t as attractive as when the unique startup was growing (and kind of manufacturing?) a number of the most exceptional and superior photo voltaic EVs we’ve ever seen.
It was a heartbreaker when Lightyear went below, and Lex Hoefsloot will probably be missed over there. He had a superb thoughts and was a fantastic man each time I engaged with him. That stated, this enterprise pivot makes lots of sense given the scale and scope of Lightyear’s present capabilities, and any firm attempting to place photo voltaic panels on automobiles is doing essential work.
Once I received to check drive the Lightyear 0 and communicate to all of the techs in regards to the firm’s know-how, particularly its photo voltaic panels, I used to be blown away. That staff was actually onto one thing, and sadly, it didn’t work out financially, however at its core, Lightyear’s photo voltaic methods are nonetheless fairly spectacular and may nonetheless assist make an impression on this world.
I hope they get it proper this time and may discover success. I do know an organization in Southern California trying to scale Photo voltaic EVs that may need to collaborate sometime…
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