EV startup Lucid Motors unveiled its Lucid Air electric luxury sedan in December, leaving EV-watchers hungry for more details (Bloomberg recently checked out a couple of preliminary prototypes).
Now Lucid has given us a much fuller picture of what the Air will look like when it hits the roads in 2019.
The company’s promises of wicked acceleration, generous range and all the latest techno-goodies led pundits to speculate that the Air would carry a price tag way north of $100,000. Not so – prices will start at $60,000. The base model will be “well-appointed and enjoyable to drive,” says the company. “It will provide superior comfort, a better user interface, and better performance than comparably priced BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes.”
The base Lucid Air will offer 400 horsepower, a 240-mile range, and “all hardware necessary for autonomous driving.” It will feature two trunks, four screens, 10 airbags and a 10-speaker audio system. The vehicle will support over-the-air software updates.
Now, in case you do have “above $100,000” to spend, various options will “allow the Lucid Air to compete with the best of the large luxury cars.” There will be 315-mile and 400-mile battery options, and a twin-motor configuration, with all-wheel drive and up to 1,000 horsepower.
The first cars off the production line will be 255 special Launch Edition cars, with top-of-the-line features, as well as unique colors and badging.
YouTube star Marques Brownlee has released a substantial video review of the Lucid Air – he praises the ultramodern exterior styling, but raves about the interior. Lucid is obviously trying to outdo Tesla’s interiors, which some luxury buyers consider too Spartan. The Lucid Air features premium materials, ultra-high-tech seats and no less than four screens, including an instrument cluster behind the wheel, a dashboard touchscreen for the most commonly used features, and a Tesla-size flat screen that retracts out of the way when not in use.
As in Tesla’s Model X, the windshield stretches up to form a panoramic glass roof, giving the vehicle an open airy feel (and inspiring its name). Electrochromic shading allows the tinting of the ceiling to be adjusted from transparent to almost opaque.
Source: Lucid Motors