Here's Why Tesla Should Be Worried About the New Lucid Air Dream Editions

author: Manish Kharinta   

The luxury-electric Air sedan will define Lucid Group as a company, according to CEO & CTO Peter Rawlinson.

There is no denying the fact that as compared to other electric vehicle startups, the Lucid Group has shown some of the most promise for succeeding in the luxury-performance EV segment that is currently dominated by Tesla.

We recently reported on Lucid's IPO in a reverse merger SPAC deal with Churchill Capital Corp IV last month. Now the California-based EV manufacturer shared details about two new variants of its first vehicle, the Lucid Air sedan. 

Deliveries of the new Air Dream Edition R (Range) and Dream Edition P (Performance) models are scheduled to start later this year. The Dream Edition R prototype is currently undergoing real-world evaluations.

It's safe to say that Lucid's new product portfolio and last month's high-profile IPO has positioned the company to be a formidable challenger to Tesla and the Model S. With the two new versions of the Air sedan, Lucid pushed the envelope drastically in terms of power and range.

The Air Dream Edition R promises to deliver almost 503 miles of range on a single charge. The range drops down to 450 miles for the more powerful Air Dream Edition P, but the EV's advanced electric powertrain will produce 1,111 horsepower. All of that power can quickly drain an EVs battery pack, so the range numbers are not surprising.

The Lucid Air is propelled by two electric motors, one on each axle, which weigh just 163 pounds each. Even with their lightweight construction, the motors manage to produce a combined power output of 670 horsepower in Air Dream Edition R's Smooth driving mode while spinning at 20,000 RPM.

Interestingly enough, the price tags of the two new versions of the Air are identical at $169,000. Both EVs will also be eligible for the federal tax credit of $7,500. 

The advanced Lucid Air sedan is a result of what the company's CEO and CTO, Peter Rawlinson calls the "miniaturization" of its electric powertrain.

Rawlinson is an auto industry veteran and former Tesla employee. He previously served as the chief engineer at Lotus. Tesla's first vehicle, the Roadster, was based on the Lotus Elise chassis. It was built from 2008 through 2012 before the launch of the flagship Tesla Model S in 2012.

Rawlingson also worked at Tesla under Elon Musk, serving as Chief Engineer of the Tesla Model S before joining Lucid in 2013. He now serves dual roles as both CEO and CTO and is largely responsible for many of the technical achievements of the Lucid Air sedan, including its high-performance electric powertrain.

With his extensive experience in the auto industry, Rawlinson knows a thing or two about performance. Rawlinson said in the past that the ultra-luxurious and high-performance Lucid Air Air sedan will be the "world's most advanced electric car" and will define Lucid Motors as a company. 

Although the Air Dream Edition R is much more expensive than the top of the line Model S Plaid, the car does have quite a lot going for it. A quick look at the Lucid Air's electric motor setup, and it becomes evident that every bit of this impressive electric sedan was developed using Rawlinson's experience at Lotus. 

The real-world evaluations of the Lucid Air Dream Edition R also proved that the automaker's range estimates of over 500 miles are accurate. 

Remarkably, there is even more to Lucid Air Dream R than its extraordinary performance. The exterior looks simple yet futuristic, and the interior is tastefully opulent with surfaces that flaunt beautiful wood trim, Alcantara, leather, linen-like fabric, and metal trims. Initially, Lucid will only offer the Air Dream Editions in gold, black, and white color options. 

The Air sedan will also be the world's first vehicle to offer a state-of-the-art surround sound audio system featuring Dolby Atmos technology. Lucid calls its Dolby Atmos-powered audio system "Surreal Sound" and it raises the bar for the in-cabin audio experience.

Despite its high price tag, which puts it out of reach of many, the new Air Dream Edition has the right mix of style, luxury and performance that will make it an amazing electric car. But many of the same features will be available in the lower priced versions of the Air, which will compete directly with Tesla's Model S.

Lucid is making a more affordable version of the Air called the "Air Pure". It's priced at $77,400 before the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Lucid has officially opened reservations for the Air Pure and customers can reserve one on Lucid's website for just $300. 

The Air Pure is expected to be available in early 2022. 

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.