Lucid Motors Officially Launches its High-Performance Air Sedan

author: FutureCar Staff    

California luxury electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors has officially revealed its Lucid Air high-performance sedan in a global web broadcast from the company's headquarters in Newark, California.

The Air combines one of the most technologically advanced electric powertrains and battery designs with an ultra luxurious interior space for passengers. The Lucid Air will rival the likes of the Tesla Model S Performance and Porsche Taycan.

Lucid says its ultra-luxurious Air sedan is the "world's most advanced electric car" and it will define Lucid as a company going forward. 

The Air has been in development for the past five years and today's online event offers a detailed look at the production version and vehicle features for the first time. 

With up to 1,080 horsepower available in a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive architecture, the Lucid Air is able to achieve quarter-mile times in under 10 seconds. To date, it is the only electric sedan able to achieve this record setting acceleration, the company claims.

The limited production Lucid Air Dream Edition will feature a 1,080 horsepower, dual-motor, all-wheel-drive architecture. It will be available in Stellar White, Infinite Black, or an exclusive, Eureka Gold finish. 

Each color will come with an exclusive "Santa Monica" themed interior trim inspired by California's diverse geography. The Dream Edition's interior will feature full Nappa grain, Bridge of Weir leather throughout with silvered Eucalyptus wood. 

The Dream Edition will also feature a unique 21-inch "AeroDream" wheel design and be highlighted by special badging and trim that marks its position as a limited-production halo edition of the Lucid Air.

"When we embarked on this journey at Lucid Motors and the development of our first vehicle, the Lucid Air, we refused to compromise. We decided early on that we were going to pursue every facet of performance, innovation, and luxury," said Derek Jenkins, VP of Design, Lucid Motors.

Innovative Design

Lucid was able to open up the interior space of the Air by miniaturizing the electric powertrain, which allowed its engineers to design a much larger interior compared to the vehicle's external footprint. 

The highly efficient electric powertrain and 113kWh extended-range battery pack for the Air was designed entirely in house to be the smallest yet most efficient battery-powered propulsion system. Lucid says its been designed for maximum efficiency, right down to the smallest details.

Lucid even designed new electric motor winding technology to maximize power output and reduce electrical losses. The motor also features an innovative cooling system that more effectively removes heat from the stator winding, minimizing losses and boosting efficiency.

The Air is built on a flat skateboard platform, which frees up additional space for the cabin. The company calls its skateboard EV platform "LEAP" (Lucid Electric Advanced Platform) and represents Lucid's philosophy of combining high-performance and luxury in an electric car. 

Lucid refers to the Air's innovative approach to its automotive layout as the "Lucid Space Concept", which takes advantage of the miniaturization of the Air's electric drivetrain and battery pack. 

The Lucid Air is the first EV designed from the ground up around a compact electric powertrain and battery pack, the company says. This provided Lucid's engineers the opportunity to create a bigger passenger space.

Lucid compares the passenger experience of the Air to traveling in a luxury executive jet, including available rear executive seats that can recline 45 degrees. Occupants of Lucid Air will enjoy an "unparalleled experience", the company said. 

"Lucid Motors is driven to make the electric car better, and by doing so, help move the entire industry forward, towards accelerated adoption of sustainable mobility. The goal of this relentless approach to developing the world's most advanced electric vehicle is to benefit all mankind with sustainable, zero emission transportation, and to also attract new customers to the world of EVs," said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Motors. "With the Lucid Air, we have created a halo car for the entire industry, one which shows the advancements that are possible by pushing the boundaries of EV technology and performance to new levels."

The Lucid Air

Amazon's Alexa Virtual Assistant Will Be Integrated into Lucid Air

Lucid has collaborated with Amazon to bring its Alexa digital assistant directly into the Lucid Air. Driver and passengers can use Alexa for navigation, calling, streaming media, smart home control, and adding items to a shopping cart or do-to-list. 

The Lucid integration of Amazon's Alexa also provides an expanded set of localized vehicle control features for the Lucid Air including adjusting the climate controls using voice commands. 

When a driver uses Alexa there will also be visual support for commands via the Lucid Air's Glass Cockpit display. Over time, the available features will continue to grow since the Air supports over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

Advanced Glass Cockpit Displays Combined with Tactile Physical Controls

The interior of the Lucid Air also includes a unique, 34-inch curved Glass Cockpit 5K display that appears to float above the dashboard. A separate retractable central Pilot Panel sits between the front seats for control of the vehicle's systems and functions. 

To complement the digital displays, Lucid designed several highly tactile, precision-milled physical controls, including ribbed turbines for steering wheel functions, a volume control roller, and alloy toggle switches for quickly changing the climate settings. 

"When we embarked on this journey at Lucid Motors and the development of our first vehicle, the Lucid Air, we refused to compromise. We decided early on that we were going to pursue every facet of performance, innovation, and luxury," said Derek Jenkins, VP of Design, Lucid Motors.

The Lucid Air features a panoramic glass roof.

The Air will start just under $80,000 for the standard version, which makes its strong competitor to the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. The Air Touring will be priced from $95,000 and the fully equipped Air Grand Touring from $139,000. 

The Touring will be available in late 2021, while the Grand Touring will be radley by mid 2021 Lucid said.

The all-inclusive, limited-volume Air Dream Edition will be available in spring 2021 and costs $169,000, putting it at the top of the luxury performance segment which includes some of the world's best cars, such as the Mercedes Benz S Class and high-performance models from Porsche.

The Dream Edition will come standard with Lucid advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), called "DreamDrive." The platform combines a cutting-edge Driver Monitoring System (DMS) with 32 sensors, covering vision, radar and ultrasonics and a high-resolution LIDAR. Lucid said the comprehensive sensor suite offers the safest possible approach to Level 2 and Level 3 driver assist technologies.

Customer's can reserve their Lucid Air starting today with a US$1,000 refundable deposit or the limited production Dream Edition with a $7,500 refundable deposit. 

The electric Air sedan will also be available through the 20 Lucid Studios and Services Centers that are planned to be open across North America by the end of 2021. The Lucid Studios will serve as in-person design centers, where customers can go to see the Lucid Air sedan up close and select from the various vehicle options and place their order. 

European and Middle East market delivery dates, pricing, and sales and service center details will be announced at a later date.

When it arrives to market, the Lucid Air will also be the fastest charging electric vehicle ever offered, with the capability to charge at rates of up to 20 miles per minute when connected to a DC Fast Charging network. In real-world conditions, this fast charging rate translates into an additional 300 miles of range after 20 minutes of charging.

Lucid buyers will receive three years of free charging on the Electrify America nationwide EV charging network.

Lucid credits the Air's ultra-high 900-volt system architecture for the rapid charging capability.

Production of the Air at Lucid Motors' factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, will begin in the coming months, the company said, with deliveries of the first Lucid Air sedans to North American customers beginning next spring.

FutureCar Staff