Three-motor Lucid Air Sapphire bows as essentially the most highly effective sedan on the earth—and it’s an EV

Lucid has been making some not-so-subtle hints that one thing even better lies past its 1,050-hp Air Grand Touring Performance and 1,111-hp Dream Version Efficiency fashions, which already rival the efficiency of the Tesla Mannequin S Plaid.

That one thing better has now been formally revealed at Monterey Automotive Week because the three-motor Lucid Air Sapphire. At 1,200-plus hp, the tri-motor Air Sapphire would be the strongest sedan on the earth, in keeping with Lucid—and sure, that extends to gasoline fashions.

Lucid boasts a 0-60 mph time under two seconds, a 0-100 mph time under 4 seconds, and a prime pace over 200 mph—all of which might be sufficient to solidly beat the Model S Plaid on the monitor, earlier than eager about dealing with. Given the screaming-loud Dodge electric muscle car introduced earlier this week, different rivals might await on the dragstrip. 

Within the Sapphire, a single motor powers the entrance wheels, whereas a brand new twin-motor drive unit powers the rear wheels. As a result of it was a part of the event program, all of the Sapphire’s upgrades no sacrifice rear leg room or trunk/frunk area. 

To enhance that, Lucid has added heat-exchanger expertise to the rear drive unit, with a “heightened coolant circulation price,” and it’s upgraded the thermal technique for the battery system. 

Moreover, the Sapphire has stiffer entrance and rear springs, stiffer bushings, distinctive damper settings, and completely different tuning for the steering and different core programs. Carbon-ceramic brakes are included, as are wider wheels and tires. The Aero Sapphire wheels embrace detachable aero-disk wheel covers, seemingly to assist aero or air venting. 

Lucid says its two-motor association can pivot the rear of the automobile in the identical manner as a brake-based setup however “sooner, quieter, and extra seamless.” Additional, in tight corners, it permits the system to use regenerative braking on the inside wheel whereas powering the skin one—offering higher outcomes that rear-axle steering programs, it says. 

On the skin, the Sapphire consists of the blacked-out Lucid Air Stealth Look as commonplace, whereas inside it will get a brand new inside theme known as Sapphire Mojave, with black leather-based plus black Alcantara and Sapphire Blue distinction stitching. The entrance seats present heating, cooling, and therapeutic massage performance, and the Glass Cover roof can also be trimmed in black Alcantara. The headrests embrace a Lucid bear brand, as a nod to the model’s California origins. 

It additionally options its personal distinctive show display screen, together with particular efficiency settings and drive modes. In one of many launched pictures, we see Sapphire mode added above Swift mode, plus dragstrip, scorching lap, and endurance modes, and a lap timer.

Don’t anticipate fairly the effectivity of a number of the different dual-motor Air fashions right here, which vary as much as 516 miles on a cost. Nonetheless, for a corporation that locations the emphasis on efficiency, don’t be stunned if this all-out efficiency fashions nonetheless beats the environment friendly long-range variations from some rivals.  

Lucid calls the Sapphire “just the start, representing the launch of a wholly new performance-focused model inside Lucid,” and it says that Sapphire variations will likely be provided for all Lucid fashions transferring ahead. 

The Sapphire will value $249,000, earlier than vacation spot, with deliveries on account of begin subsequent 12 months for the U.S. and Canada. Reservations for the brand new mannequin go stay subsequent Tuesday, Aug. 23.