Lightyear has signed a pre-order agreement with Arval for 10,000 units of Lightyear 2, Lightyear’s mass-market solar-powered electric car.

It takes the total of Lightyear 2 pre-orders from B2B partners to more than 21,000 units and comes one week after Lightyear opened the Lightyear 2 waiting list for consumers to get priority in the pre-order process later this year.

“Lightyear's technology is proven, affordable, and environmentally friendly, making a great addition to our fleet,” said Alain van Groenendael, chairman and CEO of Arval.

“Our ambition is to lease 700,000 electrified vehicles as part of our global fleet by 2025, and we look forward to welcoming 10,000 Lightyear 2 cars, that help us to reach that goal and more importantly, further support our customers with an optimal solution that answers their energy transition needs and the infrastructure challenge in Europe.”

Lightyear 2 has a solar roof and hood enabling the car to double its range to more than 800km (500 miles) per charge and overall three times less charging than a conventional electric vehicle (EV). The manufacturer says it will have a price point of below €40,000 (£35,000).

Lex Hoefsloot, Lightyear CEO and co-founder, said: “Next to offering our solar electric cars to individual consumers, Arval plays a crucial role as a leasing company in making our technologies available for as many people as possible.

“We are grateful for their trust and being able to have their expertise and international footprint to roll out Lightyear 2.”

Arval UK managing director, Lakshmi Moorthy, added: “This solar powered electric vehicle comes to the UK market at the right time, when our customers have already adopted around 30,000 electric vehicles.

“Its range extending technology and affordable price will further accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility for fleets and individuals alike.”

Lightyear aims to eliminate the two biggest concerns for electric cars - high charging frequency and limited range.

The fast-growing company was founded in 2016 and currently employs more than 600 people. The team comprises a mix of young talent and experienced names from the automotive and technology industries.

In June 2022, the company unveiled its production-intent vehicle, the Lightyear 0, which started limited production in November 2022.

The subsequent, high-volume series, Lightyear 2, has now opened its waitlist and is slated to start production in 2025, with a full reveal coming mid-2023.

> Interested in comparing electric vehicle data? Check out our EV tool.

> Interested in ensuring the efficient use of EVs. Check out our dedicated editorial sections: Insight & policy | EV news | Charging & infrastructure | Costs & incentives | Benefit-in-kind | EV case studies | EV road tests

> EVs by range

> EVs by their efficiency

> Rapid charging EVs

> EVs by price: lowest to highest