Lightyear Lightyear 2 History

Lightyear unveiled the Lightyear 2 concept alongside the Lightyear 0's production launch, positioning it as the affordable successor that would bring solar-electric technology to a mass audience. Targeting a retail price below $40,000 USD (approximately €30,000) and claiming more than 800 km (500 miles) of combined plug-in and solar range, the Lightyear 2 was aimed at the family-hatchback segment rather than the ultra-luxury niche of the Lightyear 0. The company opened an online waitlist in January 2023, with over 21,000 orders reportedly placed by fleet operators including LeasePlan, Arval, MyWheels, and Athlon.

The Lightyear 2 was slated for production in 2025 and announced for sale in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Lightyear also disclosed a technology partnership with Koenigsegg to incorporate the Swedish supercar maker's Raxial Flux electric motor technology — aimed at further improving the model's efficiency. However, with the bankruptcy of Atlas Technologies in January 2023 and the parent company's September 2024 pivot to a B2B technology-supply model, the Lightyear 2 was never built; no production date, final specifications, or firm price were officially confirmed.