About Lucid Motors Electric Vehicles

Seen by some as the company that could become Tesla’s closest competitor, Lucid Motors has already made waves in the EV space for its all-electric, high-performance luxury vehicles. It makes sense, considering Lucid's CEO and CTO, Peter Rawlinson, once held the title of vice president of engineering and chief engineer for the Model S at Tesla.

Lucid was founded in 2007 to build EV batteries and electric powertrains for other manufacturers, but in 2016, it announced its intention to develop its own electric vehicles as well.

In 2017, Lucid announced its purpose-built EV factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, and said that factory was the first greenfield EV factory in North America when vehicles began rolling of the line in 2019. Designed from the outset to minimize carbon emissions wherever practical, Lucid says the factory features a 1 megawatt (MW) capacity solar power system. The company says the factory has the capacity to produce 10,000 cars a year and will have a capacity of over 300,000 annually with a planned expansion.

The company says that the theme of sustainability fuels “every aspect of its activities as an automaker.” To demonstrate, Lucid designed its Air model to have what it claims is the highest range efficiency of any electric vehicle available today (4.6 EPA range miles / kWh). Lucid also says it works closely with suppliers to ensure its interior materials are environmentally responsible. Sustainably harvested wood options include eucalyptus, walnut, and red oak. Even the company’s leather supplier claims to have the lowest carbon footprint of any leather maker in the world.

Lucid has turned to the battery for a large portion of its R&D efforts. The Lucid Air will debut next year with a 900V (or higher) battery architecture designed using the company’s custom lithium-ion cells. Lucid says this architecture will allow the vehicle to be “the fastest charging EV,” and able to replenish 20 miles per minute. Lucid is also teaming up with Electrify America, to offer Air owners who take U.S. delivery three years of complimentary charging.

The company has also made a name for itself in Formula E, collaborating with several companies to custom design and manufacture their battery packs.

Here’s what to know about the latest electric Lucid models (base trims as of Q4 2022):

Air – MotorTrend’s Car of the Year in 2022 (the first time a brand new car model has won the award) is stocked with components and abilities that one should expect from a high-end EV, like an ultra-fast 900V charging system; bi-directional charging compatibility; a 34-in., 5K glass cockpit display; a 21-speaker sound system and; depending on your taste, an exterior design that screams luxury and style. The company even collaborated with Amazon to incorporate Alexa compatibility into the cockpit.

Lucid hopes to be amongst those leading the pack in autonomous driving, as the company is equipping the Air with eight cameras for use with driver assist features and to make the car "autonomous ready."

The Lucid Air is being released in five trim levels – Pure, Touring, Grand Touring, Dream Edition and Sapphire. The Sapphire option, which nearly triples the price of the lowest-end Pure at a quarter-million, is by far the most outrageously impressive, featuring a max horsepower of over 1,200 and a 0-60 sprint in under 2 seconds thanks to a three-motor powertrain. The limited-production Dream Edition also features a particularly triumphant stat, as it has an EPA-estimated range of up to 520 miles – the highest of any EV currently available on the market.

Delivery for the Lucid Air Pure trim is expected to be in early-to-mid 2023.

Air

Base Price

$87,400

Range

410 miles

Seats

Four

Cargo Capacity

16.1 cu. ft.

Base Drive

RWD
Lucid Air Electric Vehicle

TBA: Gravity – Lucid hasn’t yet spilled the beans on details like price and range for its luxury performance SUV, but we know impressive statistics are en route. When sneak peek images of the Gravity were shared in mid-November, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson said: "Just as Lucid Air redefined the sedan category, so too will Gravity impact the world of luxury SUVs, setting new benchmarks across the board." The company describes the vehicle as a “combination of supercar performance and seating for up to seven adults.”

Lucid says it will begin taking orders for the Gravity in 2023, with deliveries beginning in 2024. Further information about the full Lucid Gravity lineup will be released in early 2023 when reservations open.