Lightyear company is about to enter a significant new phase in production and delivery, and Lightyear couldn't be more thrilled to strengthen the capabilities of its management team. Dr. Bernd Martens, who has worked in the automotive sector for over three decades, will supervise crucial aspects of operations, such as production, purchasing, and quality.
Dr. Bernd Martens, a former member of the Board of Management at Audi AG, will be providing strategic support during the transition from the manufacture of the Lightyear 0 to the design and production of our model for the mass market, the Lightyear 2. He expressed his excitement at the new opportunity, saying, "I am happy to join Lightyear as COO and help make the mobility sector more sustainable and easy for consumers."
"The most crucial objective is to implement Lightyear 2 within the parameters of the business case, taking into consideration the aspects of technology, cost, budgets, quality, and timing. I am looking forward to starting immediately, as we will concentrate on the measures that need to be taken to produce our next model, including establishing a competitive supply base and a highly efficient contracted manufacturer.
Hans Heijmans, currently the Managing Director of the team responsible for developing our core patented solar panel technology, will step down as our COO and be succeeded by our new hire.
Dr. Bernd Martens has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and started his career there with Mercedes. Previously, Dr. Martens served as a Senior Advisor at Lightyear. It continued over the years at higher executive levels with Volkswagen and Audi headquarters worldwide, including Germany, Brazil, Mexico, and Italy, among other locations. Because of his extensive experience in fundraising, procurement, and information technology, he is recognized as a trustworthy counsel in the automobile industry.
"While our approach includes going back to the drawing board and thinking outside of the box to re-envision mobility technologies, obtaining more knowledge about the industry is incredibly important for us to be able to bring clean mobility to the broader market," said Lex Hoefsloot, CEO and Co-Founder of Lightyear. "Our approach includes going back to the drawing board and thinking outside the box to re-envision mobility technologies."
"We are extremely thankful to have Bernd join our team as COO, and we look forward to further unpacking his wide experience as we mold the operational procedures of our business."
This news coincides with the achievement of a significant manufacturing benchmark: at the end of November, the assembly lines for the Lightyear 0 began operating.
This year, we will complete our first delivery to a customer, but it is just the beginning of our expansion plans. Sign up to receive updates and participate in an adventure that questions established norms and create change at every step by subscribing.
