Lightyear has announced major changes to its roadmap. The solar EV startup has suspended plans for its first model, the Lightyear 0, after shipping the first batch of units. It will now focus on Lightyear 2.
Lightyear has gathered 40,000 orders for the less expensive Lightyear 2, apart from 20,000 orders from fleet operators.
In its press release, the company said it would move resources away from the first edition and concentrate on the second one.
However, the EV maker may be having some financial difficulties. It said it submitted a request for suspension of payment proceedings. This move in the Netherlands means it wants to freeze its debts for 18 months to have time to reorganize.
Lightyear also hopes to welcome new key investments in a few weeks to scale up to Lightyear 2.
The Lightyear 0 was priced at about $300,000 and meant to be produced in limited quantities. The Lightyear 2, however, is far cheaper, at about $40,000, allowing for mass production. The company says it will offer up to 500 miles of driving ranges and come with solar cells, which should net up to 44 miles on sunny days. However, it has yet to release full images of the model.
Another solar EV startup is Aptera, which recently announced the Launch Edition version of its tri-wheeled EV.
