The future of Lightyear solar cars remains uncertain as the operating company, Atlas Technologies, has been declared insolvent by a Dutch court. The appointment of an insolvency administrator has been made to determine the future of the Lightyear concept.
Atlas Technologies was responsible for producing the Lightyear 0. It is part of a Dutch startup that includes two other companies: Atlas Technologies Holding B.V. (holding IP rights) and Lightyear Layer B.V. (role undisclosed). Of the three companies, Atlas Technologies B.V. appears to be the most critical.
Recently, Lightyear announced a halt in production for the Lightyear 0 model, shifting focus to the Lightyear 2. The court’s approval of Atlas Technologies’ application for suspension of payments proceedings has now led to the declaration of insolvency.
The recent bankruptcy proceedings of the manufacturing company behind the Lightyear solar car project has raised concerns about the future of the Lightyear 2 vehicle. While the parent company, Atlas Technologies Holding, still owns the intellectual property of Lightyear, the future of the mass-market vehicle remains uncertain.
The Lightyear 2, priced at €40,000, was intended for the mass market but is not yet fully developed and its launch date is still several years away. The extent of funding needed for its completion is unknown. Despite this, the vehicle has already received significant interest, with 40,000 reservations from private individuals and over 21,000 pre-orders from fleet operators.
Meanwhile, some employees of Lightyear have taken to LinkedIn to express their concern and prepare for the possible end of the startup. They are reaching out for support in finding new job opportunities, highlighting the talented workforce as the company’s greatest asset.
