The Lucid Air: Everything You Need to Know About This Tesla-Fighting Luxury Sedan

Many EV startups make bold claims. One new electric vehicle manufacturer that has been backing them up with evidence, however, is Lucid Motors. Now, the company has fully unveiled its first vehicle, the Air: a super-luxurious high-end sedan with capabilities that look set to blow away the Tesla Model S, the current benchmark for EV performance.

Here’s what you need to know about the Lucid Air.

Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air should crush Tesla on range

Tesla announced it had cracked the 400-mile range barrier in June, which was viewed as a massive milestone for electric cars. The Air, with its 113kWh battery pack, obliterated that number in third-party testing; it racked up an estimated 517-mile range on a single charge under a simulation of the EPA’s testing.

The Lucid Air should be the world’s quickest EV

The top-trim Air will pack a stunning 1,080 hp. Lucid Motors released a video of the Air running a 9.9-second standing quarter mile — quicker than the Tesla Model S in Ludicrous mode. (And unlike in the Model S, which can only crack off a couple max-acceleration runs before it starts to slow down, that feat will be repeatable.)

Here’s a bit of added context: Lucid Motors’ technology arm Atieva builds the battery packs for Formula E…and the Air will be quicker than those electric race cars.

Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air should be the world’s fastest charging EV

The Lucid Air will use a 900-volt architecture (compared to Porsche’s 800-volt and Tesla’s 400-volt setups). Lucid says the Air will be capable of adding 20 miles of range in one minute of DC fast charging, and 300 miles of range in 20 minutes.

The Lucid Air should have an exceedingly low drag coefficient

Aerodynamics matter, especially for EVs. The appropriately named Air will have a drag coefficient of just 0.21, making it, according to Lucid Motors, the “world’s most aero-efficient luxury car.”

That number is more efficient than the Model 3 and Model Y, which have a 0.23 drag coefficient, and the Model S with its 0.24. It’s also lower than the Mercedes A-Class sedan, which has a 0.22 coefficient.

Lucid Motors

Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air should be spacious

Lucid Motors did not provide exact dimensions just yet, but the company is promising a “full-size luxury class interior,” The Air will also have the largest frunk of any EV to date.

Lucid Motors

The Lucid Air will come in four trims

The Air will come in four trims: Air, Air Touring, Air Grand Touring and Air Dream Edition.

• Air: Starts below $80,000; performance and range TBA; arrives 2022.
• Air Touring: Starts at $95,000; 620 hp; 3.2 seconds from 0-60 mph; up to 406 miles of range; arrives Q4 2021.
• Air Grand Touring: Starts at $139,000; 800 hp; 3.0 seconds from 0-60 mph; up to 517 miles of range; arrives Q2 2021.
• Air Dream Edition: $169,000; 1,080 hp; 2.5 seconds from 0-60 mph; up to 503 miles of range; limited production; arrives Q2 2021.

You can order your Lucid Air now

Customers can reserve a Lucid Air now with a $1,000 refundable deposit (or a $7,500 deposit for the Dream Edition). Deliveries will start in Q2 2021.

Be warned, Rivian: it looks like Lucid is planning an SUV, too

Tucked away in the press release announcing the Air’s superlatives was a mention of “forthcoming Lucid vehicles” beyond the initial super-sedan. And sure enough, hidden in the images sent to the media was what appears to be a design rendering of a very stylish Lucid SUV.

Lucid Motors

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