You know how people and children walking and playing on streets and lanes used to know when a vehicle was going to pass by because of their loud and unique sounds? Yes, that used to be an indication of oncoming motorists and trucks which had loud sounds coming from their exhausts as they got nearer and when they passed by.
But with electric vehicle innovation, electrically powered automobiles and bikes cut down on their loud sound pollutants and give a smooth, low, and soft buzzing sound as the riders and drivers whizz past. Sometimes, you wouldn’t even know a bike or car passed by if it was electrically powered. EVs also cut down on a lot of carbon emissions that are produced by fueled vehicles in the drive toward sustainable mobility solutions.
The environmental impact of transportation from the increasing use of Electric Vehicles in the world today estimates green and bright futures in a few more years of consistent and growing use by more and more people. The innovations and creativity made and put together in the automotive and manufacturing industries to improve sustainability initiatives and environmentally conscious actions, provide us with better advancements in electric mobility by reducing several negative impacts that are detrimental to the ecosystem and biodiversity.
Therefore in this article, we will be sharing insights into one such start-up company in the Netherlands called – Lightyear, founded and led by Lex Hoefsloot, is an automotive company that manufactures the first-ever scalable, grid-independent, and long-range solar electric vehicle as an improved and upgraded renewable alternative solution to other power-consuming EVs and fuel-consuming vehicles. On a mission to – “bring clean mobility to everyone, everywhere”, Lightyear aims to cover the world’s combined car driving distance of a Lightyear with their Solar EVs by 2035.
About Co-Founder and CEO – Lex Hoefsloot:
The Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lightyear is Lex Hoefsloot. Having received both a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s of Science Degree in Engineering and Automotive Technology from the Eindhoven University of Technology, Lex has a good background, learning, and experience working around automotive and related technological facets.
“I strongly believe that technology should be used for the right purposes……….to directly change the world’s biggest problems. We are not alone. Technology is here to give us a hand.” – Lex Hoefsloot, Co-Founder and CEO of Lightyear.
Lex has good work experience and career from working in varying positions such as – A Member of the Automotive’s Publicity Team at the university where he studied, the Owner of Hoefsloot Web Design, the Co-Founder and Team Manager at Solar Team Eindhoven, the Co-Founder and Project Manager at Blue Jay Eindhoven, and finally Lex founded Lightyear which he is also the CEO at.
About LIGHTYEAR:
Lightyear was founded in the year 2016 by Co-founder – Lex Hoefsloot. The co-founder and his team of experienced, skilled, and talented workforce members have created the 1st electric car that charges itself through sunlight with integrated solar cells. Established in Europe, Lightyear’s headquarters is located in Helmond, Netherlands.
Mission Statement – “To bring clean mobility to everyone, everywhere.”
“Good for the planet and Good for you”, Lightyear is a powerful sustainable mobility vehicle. As the world is transitioning to electrically-powered vehicles and renewable energy resources to create and lead comfortable and sustainably green futures, there is still the huge consumption of energy and power grids. This would again create a cycle where we would need to decrease the usage of the power consumed. Therefore, as an alternative mobility solution for other power-consuming EVs and fuel-consuming vehicles, Solar Electric Vehicles have been made.
This Solar-powered EV by Lightyear addresses many socioeconomically present challenges. The automotive industry plays one of the bigger parts that contributes to adverse climatic changes, haggard power grids, and energy-generating dilemmas. In response to this, Lightyear has manufactured and designed solar integration in automobiles that can go off-grid. This means that the dependencies in regularly charging electric vehicles through sockets and plug points are reduced. Renewable energy such as solar can now be harnessed by 5 sq. ft of solar cells that charge on the go, allowing one to drive for months after their last charge.
Lightyear shares numbers saying that around 9,460, 000,000,000 kilometers of combined car travel is made in one year alone. This is the distance of a Lightyear. Hence the name Lex Hoefsloot chose as he envisions and aims to cover the world’s combined car driving distance of a Lightyear with their clean, green, and scalable Solar EVs by 2035. The company has since achieved a global reach of 20 billion with 4 world solar companionships. Using sustainable materials such as recycled carbon fiber body panels in the exterior body and naturally sourced materials for their vegan interiors, Lightyear’s solar EVs turn wheels and heads as drivers of sustainable, innovative creators of positive change, as they continue to industrialize their idea of offering clean and renewable mobility for all.