2023 Lucid Air Overview, Pricing, and Specs

Overview

A number of startups have launched EVs in an try and disrupt the transportation market, however the 2023 Lucid Air luxurious sedan is likely one of the few to date that’s made a notable affect. Its large battery and compact motors—each designed in-house—permit it to ship unbeatable range and nice efficiency. The Grand Touring Efficiency mannequin can bounce to 60 mph in simply 2.6 seconds or, when pushed sedately, can sail on for 516 miles—its estimated driving vary, in line with the EPA. That’s sufficient vary to get from Boston to Baltimore with electrons left over. Extra vital, it’s extra vary than another EV at the moment affords. The brand new Sapphire mannequin is even faster, with a claimed 60 mph time of underneath 2.0 seconds. The Air’s trendy exterior and spacious cabin add to its desirability, however its price ticket had us anticipating to search out plusher supplies inside. Virtually all the automotive’s controls are accessed by means of considered one of a number of show screens that dot the cabin, a reminder of Lucid’s Silicon Valley roots, and the software program interface within the early vehicles continues to be a piece in progress. In any other case, the posh four-door’s efficiency, driving vary, and common snazziness make it a viable competitor for high-dollar EVs such because the Porsche Taycan and Mercedes-Benz EQS, in addition to that different high-impact EV disruptor, the Tesla Model S.

What’s New for 2023?

Lucid has added a Stealth Look look package deal to the Air’s choices sheet for 2023. The $6000 package deal swaps the Air’s exterior brightwork for darkish grey options and replaces the automotive’s 20- or 21-inch high-polish wheels with black ones. The blacked-out look is accessible on all however the base Pure trim. There’s additionally a brand new Sapphire performance model with a extra highly effective three-motor drivetrain claimed to supply over 1200 horsepower.

Pricing and Which One to Purchase

Pure

$90,000 (est)

$110,000 (est)

Grand Touring

$156,000 (est)

Grand Touring Efficiency

$181,000 (est)

Sapphire

$250,000 (est)

We might steer in the direction of the Touring mannequin. It affords a lot to love and prices considerably lower than the Grand Touring trim. The Touring affords 20-inch wheels, leather-based upholstery, in-dash navigation, and 406 miles of estimated driving vary per cost. All Lucid fashions come customary with three years of complimentary charging by way of the Electrify America charging community. The fanciest Dream Version fashions are formally offered out, however if you wish to maximize your luxurious—and your out of pocket value—the Grand Touring trim affords a lot of the Dream’s panache. Lucid increased the Air’s pricing mid-way through the 2022 model year, so orders positioned after June 1st, 2022 will use the pricing detailed above.

EV Motor, Energy, and Efficiency

The entry-level Air includes a single electrical motor that drives the rear wheels and produces 480 horsepower. Different fashions twin electrical motors that present all-wheel drive and quite a lot of horsepower rankings: The Touring mannequin generates 620 horses, the Grand Touring makes 1050. An preliminary run of restricted version vehicles, known as the Dream Version and Dream Version Efficiency, had been good for 933 horsepower and 1111 horsepower, respectively. Now that we’ve driven a Dream Edition, we will report that it is loopy fast and surprisingly agile for its dimension. At our check observe, it bolted to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. Regardless of using on standard metal coil springs slightly than air springs, the sedan felt calm and clean within the appropriately named Clean drive mode. Our predominant criticism was with our instance’s 21-inch wheels on low-profile efficiency tires that produced notable street noise on a bit of coarse pavement. We have additionally sampled the Grand Touring and Grand Touring Performance trims, and the previous delivered a brisk 3.0-second zero-to-60-mph time, a feat that is simply repeated by utilizing the automotive’s launch mode. The brand new prime canine is the 1200-plus-horsepower Lucid Air Sapphire, which has three electrical motors. The extra motor is mounted on the rear and claims to offer insane acceleration efficiency with the intention to compete with the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid. Lucid additionally claims a prime velocity of 200 mph.

Vary, Charging, and Battery Life

The Air has the longest vary of any electrical car at the moment in the marketplace, in line with EPA estimates. The Dream Version Vary mannequin ought to go for 520 miles on a single cost, whereas the Dream Version Efficiency ought to journey about 471 miles. The base Pure and mid-range Touring trims each have an estimated driving range of 406 miles; the Grand Touring and Grand Touring Efficiency fashions provide as much as 516 and 446 miles of vary, respectively. On our 75-mph freeway gas financial system route the Grand Touring’s range was an observed 410 miles, making it the longest vary EV we have ever examined. The Air includes a 112.0-kWh battery pack and DC fast-charging functionality. Plugged into a quick charger, the sedan is claimed to have the ability to recoup 300 miles of vary in 21 minutes. New homeowners may even get pleasure from three years of free fast-charging at Electrify America charging stations. There isn’t any cap on what number of occasions homeowners can cost their vehicles, so long as it is used for private and never business functions.

Gas Financial system and Actual-World MPGe

Essentially the most environment friendly Air is rated at 131 MPGe mixed, and the Efficiency model is rated at 111 MPGe mixed. Throughout our check drive, nonetheless, we recorded solely 82 MPGe. For extra details about the Air’s effectivity, go to the EPA’s website.

Inside, Consolation, and Cargo

Make no mistake, the Air is meant to be a luxurious automotive, and its good-looking inside is fitted with rich-looking supplies and cutting-edge expertise. Lucid is particularly happy with the sedan’s expansive passenger house, which is highlighted by a big again seat. Whereas the usual rear seating is claimed to be snug for as much as three adults, there’s additionally an non-obligatory Govt Rear Seating choice that provides a recline perform for final consolation. The Air’s glass roof that makes it really feel even airier and helps outward visibility. The sedan’s entrance middle console seems to be to offer beneficiant space for storing behind the retractable decrease touchscreen and inside the massive center-console bin, which homes a set of cupholders in addition to slots to put a smartphone. We’re additionally informed its entrance trunk—or frunk—could have 10 cubic ft of quantity.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Air is outfitted with a classy infotainment system that includes a big higher touchscreen that flows out of the totally digital gauge cluster and a tablet-like decrease touchscreen that handles further features and could be retracted into the dashboard. Lucid says the system’s voice-recognition software program will reply to pure speech patterns. The interface additionally has an assistant that learns the consumer’s most popular music and local weather settings. Along with some bodily controls on the steering wheel, there are a set of toggles for temperature and fan velocity in addition to a curler to regulate the amount of the audio system.

Security and Driver-Help Options

The Air is obtainable with an array of driver-assistance technology and the corporate is engaged on Level 3 self-driving abilities. The latter will not initially be obtainable, however by means of the magic of over-the-air updates, it is anticipated to be provided inside three years. For extra details about the Air’s crash-test outcomes, go to the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) web sites. Key security options ought to embrace:

• Obtainable forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking
• Obtainable blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
• Obtainable adaptive cruise management with lane-keeping help

Guarantee and Upkeep Protection

Lucid is a startup automaker with no earlier merchandise, however its guarantee protection is similar to Tesla. Neither model affords complimentary upkeep, although.

• Restricted guarantee covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain guarantee covers eight years or 100,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled upkeep