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EV startup Lightyear has announced a letter of intent with deal producer Valmet Automotive as a output companion of its approaching Lightyear 1 photo voltaic electrical motor vehicle (SEV). As a result of this new partnership, prototypes of the Lightyear One will be designed in January 2022, with an special series production to stick to in the summer season.
Lightyear is a Netherlands-based mostly EV startup specializing in SEVs. We have covered the automaker since its inception and continue on to follow it as it moves ever nearer to delivering its initial SEV, the Lightyear A single.
From quite early on, the startup has promised an remarkable vary of 450 miles on a solitary demand in the Lightyear A person, garnering some early skepticism from the general public as a startup with constrained prototypes.
Not to be discouraged, Lightyear has since gathered huge rounds of funding and even partnered with major automotive names like Bridgestone for custom made tires on the Lightyear 1. Most a short while ago, Lightyear delivered 441 miles of regular selection on a 60 kWh battery pack, collecting about 3.5 added kWh from its solar panels.
As the Lightyear has its specific vary in its sights, it seems to manufacture its subsequent prototype ahead of achieving a constrained manufacturing run of the Lightyear 1 upcoming year, all with the enable of Valmet Automotive.
Gerard Berkelmans – VP Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Lightyear, Matti Räsänen – VP Revenue Valmet Automotive
Wim van Stratum – VP Operations Lightyear / Resource: Lightyear
Lightyear 1 to be produced by Valmet
In a push launch nowadays, Lightyear shared its letter of intent to function with Valmet Automotive as a production lover in producing the approaching Lightyear A single SEV.
Valmet Automotive is a contract producer with in excess of 50 yrs of encounter with substantial-conclusion automotive brand names like Mercedes-Benz, Saab (RIP), and Porsche, and has been developing and producing electrical autos for the past ten years.
Just after over a yr of searching, Lightyear believes it has discovered its production companion in Valmet owing to its knowledge with EV output. Lex Hoefsloot, CEO and co-founder of Lightyear elaborates:
Two years in the past, we announced our prototype Lightyear Just one. We are actually psyched to have discovered a generation husband or wife with whom we will manufacture this distinctive design. Valmet Automotive is a great companion, has a well-proven track record and above a decade of practical experience in EV generation. It’s also a great cultural match with our business. We are very pleased that we will soon comprehend the real output of Lightyear A single with Valmet Automotive.
In addition to manufacturing motor vehicles and several parts, Valmet also has its possess battery output line in Finland and has invested seriously in additional engineering and tests abilities for EV powertrains. The company’s CEO Olaf Bongwald speaks about the new settlement:
Our knowledge as a automobile manufacturer, as well as our aim on electrical mobility and battery systems make us predestined for procedures in which mobility should be redefined. We are prepared to enter new regions also in producing cars and trucks and are for that reason pleased that Lightyear has chosen us as their generation lover.
As earlier mentioned, the Lightyear One particular will see new prototypes out of Finland this January, just before Valmet starts manufacturing a sequence creation of 946 Lightyear Just one SEVs up coming summer time. You can view the complete announcement video from Lightyear beneath:
Electrek‘s acquire
A different big phase for Lightyear as it moves ever closer to (confined) manufacturing on the Lightyear One particular, this is fairly rapid development for an EV startup paving its personal route by integrating photo voltaic technologies into its EVs.
When the community could have understandably scoffed at the 450-mile assortment Lightyear was promising when it strike the EV scene a several yrs back, its most latest observe test got them in 9 miles of this mark with the probable to much exceed with a minor a lot more enable from our solar.
By picking out Valmet, Lightyear will be equipped to exam the producing course of action with its next prototype before practically 1,000 Lightyear Just one SEVs hit assembly lines in the summer.
Lightyear has formerly shared plans for its future SEV to be a mass-market place product, so if the output of the Lightyear A single goes effortlessly with Valmet, it could see an supplemental contract for the automaker’s future auto as properly.
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