The union is strong, even between two small manufacturers. This is the case of Lightyear, a Dutch company that will put the first mass-produced solar electric car on the roads, and Koenigsegg, with 20 years of experience in the manufacture of hypercars and advanced technology.
The Swedes have decided to invest in Lightyear, we do not know how much and on what terms. What we do know is that both companies are going to collaborate, share confidential and proprietary information, and reinforce each other. To tell you something more tangible, Koenigsegg technology will be applied to Lightyear 2, which will go into production in late 2024 or early 2025.
The currently only Dutch model, the Lightyear 0, is about to go into series production. It will arrive before the Sono Sion (2023) and will be able to recharge up to 70 km per day with its solar panels, its autonomy being practically double. In return, the price of the Lightyear 0 is five to six times higher than that of the Sono Sion, so technically speaking they are not in competition with each other.
But something different will be the Lightyear 2, a model destined to be produced in higher numbers and with a substantially lower price. The experience gained in developing the Lightyear 0 may also be of benefit to Koenigsegg, which is developing an all-electric hypercar – the Koenigsegg Gemara is a plug-in hybrid.
Both the Sono Sion and the Lightyear 2 introduce an interesting concept to the market, that of electric cars that are not so dependent on the electricity network to move, since the availability of recharging points is still a pending issue, and the energy of the Sol is there to be better used. It is still the most powerful nuclear power plant in the Solar System.
In a couple of years, we will know how this alliance is materializing thanks to the investment of the Swedes. By the way, Koenigsegg received an injection of 150 million euros three years ago from NEVS AB, the company that took over from Saab, and which is financially tied to the mud-footed giant Evergrande. NEVS was going to manufacture the Sono Sion, but in the end, it will be Valmet Automotive who does it in Finland. Yes, Valmet Automotive will also produce the Lightyear.
