The Lightyear One will hit the production line thanks to contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive.
Valmet Automotive is one of the world’s largest automotive contract manufacturers and currently builds the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and GLC-Class at its facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland.
In a statement, Lightyear says it spent more than a year finding the perfect production partner for the all-electric One. The partnership will see the first prototypes of the Lightyear One built in Finland in January 2022 before production commences in the summer of 2022.
“Two years ago, we announced our prototype Lightyear One. We are really excited to have found a production partner with whom we will manufacture this exclusive model,” chief executive and co-founder of Lightyear Lex Hoefsloot said in a statement. “Valmet Automotive is a great partner, has a well-established track record and over a decade of experience in EV production. It’s also a good cultural fit with our company. We are proud that we will soon realize the actual production of Lightyear One with Valmet Automotive.”
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The Lightyear One features four small in-wheel electric motors and a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. In addition, the entire roof, hood, and rear decklid are clad in solar panels and according to Lightyear, these panels can add 31-43 miles (50-70 km) of range per day during summer. The company is targeting a range of 450 miles (725 km) on a single charge. Further aiding in the car’s impressive range is the fact that it has a drag coefficient of just 0.20.
“Our experience as a car manufacturer, as well as our focus on electric mobility and battery systems make us predestined for processes in which mobility must be redefined,” Valmet Automotive chief executive Olaf Bongwald added. “We are ready to enter new areas also in manufacturing cars and are therefore pleased that Lightyear has selected us as their production partner.”