Execs: BIG energy; unbelievable vary, effectivity and charging speeds; spacious, purposeful and high-tech inside
Cons: It ain’t low-cost; software program glitches; questionable reliability as first-time carmaker
In the event you’re the kind of one who loves speaking concerning the state-of-the-art (clean) you simply introduced residence, who eagerly solutions questions like, “That’s so cool, what’s it?” and the stream of inevitable follow-ups, boy are you going to like the Lucid Air. Not solely will its stylish, futuristic exterior draw consideration in every single place you go, however there’s a lot about this revolutionary electrical automobile that’s cool, completely different, game-changing and simply plain-old particular that you simply’re sure to have extra solutions than questions. Certainly, there was an excessive amount of to share in our Lucid Air first drive overview, so we dug even deeper in a separate piece about its spectacular engineering.
So, what precisely is a Lucid? It’s a brand new, impartial automobile firm whose chief engineer beforehand directed engineering at Tesla, and whose chief designer beforehand labored at Audi after which Mazda when each have been making their best-looking automobiles. Lucid is headquartered within the San Francisco Bay Space, and the automobiles are in-built Arizona. So yeah, it’s an American automobile.
Its most spectacular engineering factor is its motor unit. It’s shockingly compact, releasing up inside and cargo house. It’s shockingly highly effective, with variations starting from “simply” 480 horsepower all the way in which as much as, ahem, 1,050 horsepower (the limited-edition Sapphire does higher than 1,200). And but, it’s shockingly environment friendly. That 1,050-hp monster returns an EPA-estimated effectivity ranking of 30 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles (or 111 miles-per-gallon equal), which is identical as a 201-hp Kia Niro EV. Think about a Dodge Demon 170 getting the gas effectivity of a Prius. That effectivity, mixed with state-of-the-art battery packs (and a variety of them) lead to vary that doesn’t simply beat different EVs, however most gasoline tanks. The worst vary estimate is 410, whereas its greatest is 516.
Then there’s the adept suspension and steering tuning, the inside that’s richly detailed and elegantly designed, the in-car tech that’s in abundance, but not the only focus in design or performance, and the beneficiant passenger house and twin cargo areas that higher the capability of many SUVs. As we stated, we might be right here for some time. Mainly, the Lucid Air is kind of a factor. It is also a really costly factor, and because it’s so new, don’t be stunned if there are some software program glitches (we skilled some) and a few reliability points (it’s a new carmaker in spite of everything). Oh, and plenty and many questions.
Inside & Know-how | Passenger & Cargo House | Efficiency & Vary
What it is prefer to drive | Pricing & Trim Ranges | Crash Scores & Security Options
What are the Lucid Air inside and in-car expertise like?
For a automobile that begins at practically $90,000, you’d hope a luxurious automobile would have a particular inside, and the Lucid Air doesn’t disappoint. Supplies and construct high quality have been glorious within the three check automobiles we’ve sampled, and we very a lot appreciated the three design motifs impressed by completely different locations in California (although we fear concerning the light-colored carpets). There are additionally a number of ambient lighting packages, however they’re refined, not like the disco occurring inside a Mercedes EQS.
The design is clear and fashionable, but there are nonetheless bodily buttons for the local weather controls, window switches, gear selector and switch indicators. A lot of the automobile’s features are operated via touchscreen controls, however somewhat than one jumbo display as in most automobiles at present, the Lucid splits features between two interconnected screens built-in superbly into the sprint (somewhat than simply bolting a giant TV to the sprint). A 3rd touchscreen that controls lights and windshield wipers is situated about the place they’ve traditionally been, to the left aspect of the steering wheel.
It’s a system that usually is sensible when you clue into the 2 heart screens being related, and Lucid has already launched over-the-air updates for performance enhancements, so what we’ve skilled up to now isn’t essentially everlasting. That’s an excellent factor, as a result of we skilled some glitches within the software program that hopefully might be addressed with future updates, although none have been critical.
How huge is the Lucid Air?
It is a huge, full-size luxurious sedan. Nevertheless, due to distinctive packaging benefits of the Lucid’s compact motors and EVs on the whole, it’s even larger inside than you would possibly anticipate. Again seat legroom might be immense, and headroom is extra beneficiant than in a Mercedes EQS. We stated “might be” as a result of the Grand Touring’s further battery packs principally fill the backseat footwell. This raises the ground, which leaves backseat occupants’ toes awfully near the identical degree as their butts. It’s like sitting in an SUV’s third row, albeit with the entrance seats forward miles away. We’d additionally warning in opposition to the $4,000 “Glass Cover” roof, because the tinting begins too low on the windshield, and there’s no shade to totally block the solar. You shouldn’t have to put on a hat whereas driving a sedan.
Cargo house is exclusive, to say the least. The trunk lid is sort of a nice huge clamshell on the again of the automobile that opens to disclose an uncommon slot-like house that’s shorter in peak than the everyday trunk. Lots of luggage gained’t have the ability to sit on their sides. Actually dig deeper, although, and also you’ll discover an enormous under-floor compartment sufficiently big to carry a roll-aboard suitcase with room left over. There’s then a equally distinctive frunk, accessed by the power-operated hood. It first seems to be a large, shallow house, nevertheless it too has a deep under-floor space that when the ground is eliminated permits for 2 roll-aboards.
What are the Lucid Air’s vary and efficiency specs?
On the time of this writing, full specs for the bottom Lucid Air Pure weren’t accessible. That can have a single rear motor, however that’s principally all we find out about it.
The Pure AWD (pictured under) has two motors that collectively produce 480 horsepower with an estimated 0-60 time of three.8 seconds. That’s insanely fast regardless of there being at the least 4 efficiency ranges past it. EPA-estimated vary is 410 miles. Its most DC fast-charging charge is 250 kilowatts, which is extraordinarily fast (few are higher), theoretically recouping 200 miles of vary in solely quarter-hour. The max AC residence charging charge of each Lucid is nineteen.2 kW, which enormously exceeds the capabilities of the everyday residence charger. The Air also can energy your own home or recharge one other electrical automobile.
The Touring’s two motors produce a mixed 620 hp, and Lucid says it’ll hit 60 in 3.4 seconds. At this level, we should always point out that 0-60 occasions actually don’t correctly convey the quantity of acceleration on faucet with these absurd energy ranges. In the end, they’re restricted by the traction supplied by tires. The Touring has the least quantity of vary amongst Air fashions, with both 425 miles (19-inch wheels) or 384 miles (20- and 21-inch wheels). Its most DC fast-charging charge can be 250 kW.
The Grand Touring produces 819 hp and hits 60 in 3 seconds. Crucially, it additionally provides 4 battery packs that enhance vary to 516 miles with 19-inch wheels, and 469 miles with 20- or 21-inch wheels. The draw back of these further packs is described within the part above. Most DC quick charging goes as much as 300 kW, and theoretically permitting you to recoup 200 miles in 12 minutes.
The Grand Touring Efficiency produces 1,050 hp and may hit 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. Vary stands at 446 miles because the 21-inch wheels are customary. It has the identical fast-charging charge.
Lastly, the Lucid Air Sapphire produces “1,200-horsepower plus” and has a 0-60 time of “below 2 seconds.” Vary was nonetheless to be decided on the time of this writing. It has the identical 300 kW fast-charging charge.
What is the Lucid Air prefer to drive?
Sure, it’s quick. And if you interact the “Dash” driving mode (after agreeing that you simply acknowledge the inherent dangers of doing so), it turns into snap-your-head-back, holy-cow, laugh-out-loud fast. And that’s simply the Touring mannequin. The Grand Touring, Grand Touring Efficiency and Sapphire simply get nuttier.
It’s the remainder of the driving expertise that’s in the end extra essential, although, and the Air delivers in droves with a superbly damped trip that strikes a just-right steadiness between consolation and response. The steering is exact, although Lucid’s claims that it benchmarked a 911 GT3 and E39 BMW M5 make it sound loads higher than it’s. It is a huge automobile with terrific dealing with for a giant automobile, however we wouldn’t enterprise to name it a sport sedan, and that’s completely OK. One of many nice issues concerning the Lucid Air is how genuine it feels, as in it’s not making an attempt to emulate one other automobile model. It seems like its personal factor, for the higher.
What different Lucid Air evaluations can I learn?
Lucid Air First Drive Evaluate: New child on the town beats everybody up
That is our overview of the Grand Touring and Grand Touring Efficiency, particularly, however options in-depth details about its engineering and design.
Why the Lucid Air is greater than the sum of its eye-popping specs
A deeper dive into the Lucid’s engineering, design, software program and inside. You will need to learn this so you will have tons to gush about to your mates. (Additionally, can you notice Prime Gear‘s authentic Stig, Ben Collins, within the under picture?)
What’s the Lucid Air value?
The Lucid Air is bought on-line, so actually, your greatest wager for the most recent pricing and choices is on the corporate web site the place you possibly can construct the automobile and reserve one. You may as well purchase already-built automobiles.
Pricing for every mannequin is indicated under (as of March 22, 2023), together with the $1,650 vacation spot cost.
Pure: $89,050
Pure Twin Motor: $94,550
Touring: $109,050
Grand Touring: $139,650
Grand Touring Efficiency: $180,650
Sapphire: $250,650
You’ll be able to learn extra about what you get with the Air Sapphire right here. It’s pictured under.
What are the Lucid Air security scores and driver help options?
Each Lucid Air consists of the DreamDrive suite of driver help techniques. This consists of ahead collision warning, entrance and rear automated emergency braking, entrance and rear cross-traffic warning, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, automated parking management (parallel and perpendicular), parking sensors, driver inattention warning and adaptive cruise management. The DreamDrive Professional system ($10,000!) features a surround-view parking digicam system, a blind-spot digicam that shows within the instrument panel, lane-centering steering help for the adaptive cruise management, and most notably, future-ready {hardware} for an enhanced adaptive cruise management system that can permit for hands-free driving. Automobile sensors additionally get an improve. It’s frequent for lane-centering help to only be included with adaptive cruise management today, so it’s disappointing you need to pay a lot to get it and look ahead to an much more superior system that’ll arrive TBD.
The Air has not been crash examined by a 3rd celebration.