Lucid Motors: an In-Depth Overview

By J Woods

Lucid Motors, founded in 2007, is one of the few EV-only startups to emerge in recent years with a legitimate chance of entering into an almost monopolized world of Teslas. Surprisingly, as Lucid Motors gains traction within the prestigious EV market, they actually have no competitive desire to challenge Tesla, as they wish to “both thrive and prosper alongside each-other [Tesla].” 

Similar to most EV startups, they initially struggled to gather the necessary funding to construct their (now almost complete) EV plant but have since then received a $1 billion investment from Saudi Arabia, as well as additional funding from Chinese investors. Lucid Motors’ Lucid Air is the primary product in the spotlight, as its luxurious body, interior and price are anything but underwhelming for a planned price of $100,000 (including possible upgrades). Unlike Tesla, they are planning to launch the Lucid Air first hand with a full blown 400-mile range and “an over 900-volt system” compared to Tesla’s 400-volt.

The base model will be have a 75kWh battery with RWD (about 250 miles of range), a 105kWh AWD variant will manage over 300 miles per charge whilst the top-of-the-line 130kWh AWD Air will be capable of over 400 miles per charge. With it being a four-door sedan, Lucid has attempted in every way possible to maximize space in a luxurious fashion. The backseats are specifically designed for peak comfort with up to 55 degrees of recline and the cabin itself is highly spacious as well. It has been pivotal for Lucid to take after Mercedes’ sedan variations in order to create as much space as possible, knowing that their battery takes up less space than that of a traditional non-EV. Their focus on targeting luxury based manufacturers has been manifested in the seamless design of the Lucid Air, as some would consider this a more superficially worthy alternative to Tesla’s Model S.

The autonomous abilities of the Lucid Air may not be up to speed when the official base model gets on the road by 2021 but there are several key features, such as an advanced self driving system to “retrieve your groceries, [and] pick up your kids from practice.” The vehicle will have progressive levels of software which will enable the driver to use voice commands in order to control important vehicle features, such as “usage patterns and preferences,” turning on music and prioritizing a zero-distraction experience to ensure safety.

A scheduled online event commencing September 9th will give viewers an opportunity to see the final product, as well as adjusted specifications and prices. Initially, Lucid planned on delivering vehicles by the end of 2020 but their plans to uphold their promises of shipping finished products have been slightly delayed to 2021. Any thoughts on the Lucid Air? Let us know in the comments below!