Lucid Motors Announces an Agreement to Access Electrify America's Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network

author: Eric Walz   

Silicon Valley-based electric car startup Lucid Motors announced an agreement with Electrify America, which will give Lucid's customers access to a nationwide ultra-fast DC charging network to charge their vehicles.

Electrify America is part of a $2 billion dollar investment over the next ten years by Volkswagen, to promote the adoption of electric vehicles after the company plead guilty to tampering with emission control software on its diesel models sold in the U.S.

Electrify America has announced plans to construct the largest EV charging network in the U.S., eventually exceeding the size of Telsa's planned Supercharger network. By the end of June of 2019, Electrify America will install or have under construction over 2,000 DC ultra-fast chargers at nearly 500 sites in metro and highway locations across 40 states and 17 major cities.

Lucid selected Electrify America after an extensive evaluation and cited Electrify America's DC power levels of up to 350kW, which allow for ultra high-speed charging, and the network's extensive coverage as key selection criteria. As a luxury brand, Lucid was also attracted by Electrify America's premium charging experience, providing Lucid vehicle owners with convenient charging locations that include amenities like shopping and restaurants.

Lucid's first vehicle, the Lucid Air sedan, is scheduled to enter production in 2020. "We are excited to be working with Electrify America given its extensive charging network and aggressive growth plans. The groundbreaking battery technology we developed for the Lucid Air allows class leading EPA range and ultra-fast charging with minimal cell degradation. Combining our technology with Electrify America's network provides our customers with a comprehensive charging solution for their everyday lives," said Peter Rawlinson, Chief Technology Officer of Lucid.

The Lucid Air is a luxury electric sedan that is set to complete with the likes of the Tesla Model S and the upcoming Porsche Taycan electric sedan. Prior to Joining Lucid Motors in 2013, Rawlinson worked for Elon Musk at Tesla, where he served as chief engineer on the Tesla Model S. Lucid said its electric Air sedan will have a 400 mile range.

The announcement by Lucid Motors comes after German automaker Audi announced its own partnership with Electrify America, which the company announced last week after unveiling the e-tron, Audi's first fully-electric SUV.

Electrify America's investment includes infrastructure, education, and awareness initiatives to help drive ZEV adoption. "Electrify America is proud to provide Lucid and its customers with our ultra-fast charging," said Giovanni Palazzo, President and CEO, Electrify America. "Our high-powered, nationwide network of chargers is a great match with the EV technology offered by Lucid and a further opportunity to expand electric vehicle adoption in the U.S."

Lucid Motors is one several electric vehicle startups looking to enter the luxury electric car space once solely occupied by Tesla. Others include SF Motors, Faraday Future and Fisker.

Last week, Lucid Motors announced a $1 billion investment from Saudi Arabia's PIF, which the company will use to fund production of the Lucid Air sedan.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.