Lightyear has canned its debut mannequin, the 0, lower than two months after the smooth fastback hatch with a world-beating drag coefficient entered manufacturing.
In an replace launched on Monday, the Dutch EV startup mentioned it made the choice to be able to redirect its focus and assets to the extra reasonably priced, larger quantity 2 hatchback proven earlier this month.
The corporate additionally talked about the necessity for a court docket to begin “suspension of cost proceedings” in relation to Atlas Applied sciences, a subsidiary firm chargeable for manufacturing of the 0. The transfer could allude to some type of monetary hardship additionally being a key issue behind the choice.
“The entire means of creating Lightyear 0 has offered our firm many precious learnings over the previous years,” Lex Hoefsloot, Lightyear’s CEO and co-founder, mentioned in an announcement. “We are actually redirecting all our vitality towards constructing Lightyear 2 to be able to make it out there to shoppers on schedule.”
Lightyear 0 manufacturing at Valmet Automotive in Finland
Lightyear has beforehand mentioned the two will debut in the summertime and begin deliveries round 2025. The corporate has additionally confirmed a beginning value of lower than 40,000 euros (roughly $43,450). The 0 was priced from 250,000 euros ($271,575). It is not clear if any automobiles have been really delivered.
In its newest replace, Lightyear mentioned the two was developed alongside the 0, which factors to the automotive already being at a late stage of improvement. Just like the 0, the two will function photo voltaic panels and in-wheel hub motors.
Lightyear additionally mentioned 40,000 people have joined a waitlist for extra info on the two, and 20,000 pre-orders have already been made by fleet prospects.
Manufacturing of the 0 was dealt with by Finland’s Valmet, the contract producer that at one time constructed the Fisker Karma extended-range EV. Lightyear hasn’t mentioned the place it plans to construct the two.
