Lucid Motors, not a name many will of heard of, launched its first luxury performance EV, to be known as the Lucid Air, could this be a true rival to Tesla.
The Lucid team some of which were instrumental in the success of the Tesla EV and other luxury cars really think so. This luxury halo car is sure to create a buzz in the fast-growing electric car world and perhaps rewrite the rules for EV technology and performance.
Reading like a game of top trumps, the Air EV has launched more than a few tricks up its sleeve. A whopping 1080 horsepower, 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds, quarter-mile in 9.9 seconds 517-mile range on a single charge and it can charge for 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes making it the worlds fastest charging EV. This car is exciting.
Lucid Motors is a technology company and of course where else than California would be the key inspiration for the Lucid dream. In fact, the car was launched from its Silicon Valley headquarters 170 years to the day California was first founded on 9 Sept 1850. The influence the unique Californian light brings has been used for the colours and shades in the car’s interior. The car is, however, being built in Arizona with deliveries in the USA starting from the spring of next year.
As the name implies, Lucid is also inspired by the notion of seeing things differently and making those dreams come true. the brand has also coined the phrase “Dream Ahead” to endorse its vision of rejecting the status quo and always pushing the boundaries in EV technology.
Clever ideas have made this car, something a little different. By building the electric motors smaller, but more powerful and reducing the size of the drivetrain overall the space for passengers and luggage is increased dramatically. Lucid call it the space concept and the result is a full-size luxury interior in a car the size of a regular saloon and an enormous class-leading bi-level frunk both in the front and rear.
The interior is a beautiful place to be, the cockpit features a 34-inch 5k resolution display. The switches are all precision made, tactile and precise. Lucid has also collaborated with Amazon to bring Alexa built-in to the Lucid Air enabling navigation, phone, streaming media, smart home control and other features. The sounds system we are told is the best sounding system ever in a car, I look forward to that.
To top the exterior design off – the super stylish, ultra-slim, exterior lighting for the Lucid Air was developed entirely in-house. A truly revolutionary Micro Lens Array system uses thousands of light channels. to bring the brightest, most precise and advanced lighting system ever.
The team at Lucid Motors has been created with some real talent from the automotive world. Amongst the top team – Peter Rawlinson, ex-Tesla, Jaguar, Lotus – Derek Jenkins former design director Mazda North America, Volkswagen, Audi – Eric Bach ex-Volkswagen, Tesla.
Prices in the USA will be starting below $80,000 for the Lucid Air moving up to $169,000 of the limited edition Lucid Air Dream Edition. Order books opened last night and I understand that Lucid is keen to sell these cars in Europe and in right-hand drive for the UK.
The Lucid Air dream edition will initially be available in just three colours Stellar White, Infinite Black, or a Dream Edition-exclusive Eureka Gold finish all with an exclusive “Santa Monica” themed interior with full Nappa grain Bridge of Weir leather and silvered eucalyptus wood accents. On the outside, it will also feature a unique 21-inch “AeroDream” wheel and special badging.
It all sounds like Lucid is here to stay and I really look forward to seeing this one in the metal…..and feeling it on the road, with technology like this, that is why I love cars today.
Jonathan Humphrey
The man from Drive.co.uk
After many, many years of being passionate about cars, spending too much money on cars and too much time driving. I now spend my time running and developing Drive.co.uk and creating a bold expressive new motoring lifestyle website along with some very good writers.
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