The first Lucid Air – the luxury electric car certified for more than 500 miles of range – will reach find its way to a buyer’s driveway next month. Silicon Valley startup Lucid Motors has started production of the cars at its Arizona factory. It expects to make its first deliveries in late October.
About the Lucid Air
The Air is slightly larger than a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and is available in four trim levels ranging from $77,400 at the low end to over $169,000 for the range-topping Dream Edition (sold out for 2022).
The EPA certified the car for up to 520 miles of driving on a single charge just two weeks ago. That figure makes it the longest-range EV on the market. It bests the Tesla Model S Long Range, the prior record-holder, by more than 100 miles. Lucid claims it is the fastest charging as well, adding up to 20 miles of range per minute, though no agency tests those claims.
The Company Behind It
The company launched in 2007 as Atieva, initially focused on designing electric powertrains for other manufacturers. It rebranded as Lucid in 2016 and announced the Air as a premium electric car. Lucid focused first on producing a car for the high end of the automotive market. It may expand into less-expensive models as it grows.
Lucid sells cars only through its website. The company operates a small number of “studios” in high-end shopping districts. There, buyers can see the vehicles before ordering directly from the manufacturer.
Starting a new automaker is one of the steepest challenges in the business world. Lucid’s approach is essentially the same model that rival Tesla followed as it grew into a successful company that delivered nearly half a million cars last year. It’s also the model Rivian has adopted and used to deliver the first electric pickups to reach buyer driveways earlier this month.
