Lucid Air


Debut: 2021
Maker: Lucid
Predecessor: No



 Published on 17 Dec 2021
All rights reserved. 


The Siicone Valley startup stuns the world by beating Mercedes in its own game.


I remember the production Air was unveiled on September 9th last year, the same day as the world debut of Maserati MC20. The Maserati should have been the headline that day. It was sexy. It was exotic. It was the Italian brand's first in-house-built supercar in half a century. Somehow, I found the electric luxury saloon from a Silicon Valley startup more interesting. It is not about performance or shape, although this car doesn't lack both, but the progress and vision it shows in technology and design. While the Maserati is a new car born out of the old template, the Lucid shows us the future of motoring world.

Lucid Motors, originally named Atieva, was founded in 2007 as a supplier of EV components. In 2013, it poached the chief engineer of Tesla Model S (also ex-Jaguar and Lotus engineer), Peter Rawlinson, to lead the development of its own EV. A couple of years later, the man who penned the current Mazda MX-5, Derek Jenkins, joined Lucid as chief designer. The first prototype of Air was unveiled to the public in 2016, but the development took longer than expected due to its ambitious targets, and the company went into financial trouble. Fortunately, it was saved by the Saudi investment fund, otherwise this amazing car would have had no chance to see the light of production.



Fastest model does 0-60 in a Bugatti-rivalling 2.5 seconds. Longest range one achieves 520 miles. This is the state of the art EV tech.


The production car keeps most of its promises, especially the futuristic styling and high level of finish. It is truly a beautiful design. Low, wide, sleek and elegant in details. Its full-width chrome panel at the leading edge of the bonnet and the hidden LED headlights using micro-lens technology, in combination with a smooth front bumper makes the face remarkably sleek and futuristic, almost like a bullet train. The side profile has hints of Audi - and I mean Audi in its golden era during the 1990s, not today's Audi. The rear has a wraparound screen, a very short deck and clamshell boot lid, radical for a large luxury saloon.

It is also very slippery. Its Cd is only 0.21, trailing only the new Mercedes EQS.

The Air occupies the same road space as Tesla Model S, measuring almost 5 meters long and 2 meters wide, but it is 25mm lower at only 1410mm. That’s a massive 102mm lower than the Mercedes EQS, no wonder it looks so much sleeker. This helps it to boost energy efficiency when cruising on highway. While the big Tesla was designed like a conventional car, the Lucid takes full advantage of the packaging efficiency of EV, employing an extremely short front overhang and front compartment. At the back, although the extremely short trunk hints at a hatchback, it is actually a 3-box saloon. Ditching tailgate helps it to achieve higher chassis rigidity than its Tesla rival.



Avantgarde, low, sleek and tasteful, so much better looking than any large luxury cars I can think of.


Benefited by the experience of developing Model S, Rawlinson pushes both energy and space efficiency of this car to a higher level. The in-house-developed electric motor is more power-densed than rivals. Completed with transmission, differential and inverter in a single unit, it weighs only 74kg, is extremely compact yet can produce up to 670hp, returning a power-to-weight ratio nearly 3 times that of Tesla. The flagship Performance model has one such power unit at each axle for a total output of 1111 horsepower, making it the hypercar among large sedans. It is good for 0-60 mph in a Bugatti-rivalling 2.5 seconds and tops a regulated speed of 168 mph. Lesser models offer 933 hp (Dream), 800 hp (GT) or 620 hp (Touring) with the twin-motor setup, while single-motor base model (Pure) still manages a respectable 480 hp and 4.2 seconds 0-60 mph sprint. All models are fast.

What makes possible this superior power density is the use of 924V electrical system, which demands lower current hence narrower windings. Narrower windings allow the motors to be made smaller, so they protrude less into usable space. As a result, the Air offers significantly more luggage space than Model S or just about any large luxury cars – 739 liters in total, including a 280-liter frunk. Moreover, the clamshell boot lid gives access to a wide and low opening, making loading easier than ever.



More battery capacity than anyone else, yet able to carve out the rear footwell for passenger comfort.


Like Porsche Taycan but unlike Tesla or Mercedes EQS, the floorpan is not exactly a skateboard. Its battery, arranged in 22 modules in maximum configuration, is placed on the floorpan and partly under the rear seat but not in the area of rear passenger footwell, so it allows the rear seat to be mounted lower and enables that remarkably low roof line, yet the rear passengers don't need to pull their feet up like the case of EQS. Maximum battery capacity is 113kWh, eclipsing Tesla's 100kWh and Mercedes' 108kWh. This gives the car a maximum range of 520 miles, knocking out the Tesla's 405 miles or Mercedes' 340 miles easily (all are EPA figures, so should be close to real-world performance). Mind you, we are talking about the longest range model, but the 1111hp Performance model still good for 471 miles on 19-inch wheels or 451 miles on 21-inch items. Obviously, the Air not only offers the largest battery on the market but it also uses energy more efficiently than any other rivals.

Charging performance is also superior. Thanks to using 924V / 300kW DC charger, versus 480V / 150-250kW of Tesla, 400V / 200kW of Mercedes or 800V / 270kW of Porsche, the Air is able to get 300 miles worth of electric juice in just 20 minutes. No matter how you measure, the electrical architecture of Lucid is right at the top of the game. This is the state of the art EV technology.



Drag coefficient is just 0.21, helping it to achieve class-leading energy efficiency.


Inevitably, for all its superior technology and specifications, the Air demands substantial money. Prices start from $80,000 for the single-motor and smaller battery base model, rising to an eye-watering $170,000 for the Performance flagship, while Touring and GT command $95,000 and $140,000, respectively. These are Mercedes EQS money. Can the American startup really challenge Mercedes in the luxury rank?

On the Road

It is hard not to love the Air from its appearance. Avantgarde, low, sleek and tasteful, a true 4-door GT shape. It is so much better looking than any large luxury cars I can think of, especially beside the tall and banana-shaped EQS.

Its interior is also more tastefully styled, with a hint of Scandinavian design. Yes, the materials, the fit and finish, the switchgears, the sound system and the seats might not be as great as Mercedes or Audi – after all, Lucid is a startup aiming to build only 20,000 cars in the first full year of production – but it is still trimmed with very nice materials, including wood, leather, Alcantara, alloy and fabric made of recycled plastics, at least on more expensive models. The Air shows none of the quality shortfalls that made Tesla notorious. Even for a car costing so much money, you won’t feel shortchanged.



Tastefully styled interior has a hint of Scandinavian design, with build quality to match.


Despite the low roofline, the Air feels, well, airy inside, thanks to a panoramic glass roof that extends seamlessly from the windscreen. Yes, getting into the cabin is a little bit difficult due to the lower door aperture and thick roof rails – the latter are made of aluminum instead of steel, so they need to be thicker to deliver the same strength – but once inside, you will find plenty of headroom front and rear – the latter is better than EQS. Rear legroom is generous. Although like the EQS there is no space under the front seats to rest your feet, at least the footwell is deep enough to let your knees rest naturally. Up front, the driver enjoys good forward view thanks to a slim dashboard and low cowl. Facing him is a huge, 34-inch curved display which does the work of instrumentation and sat nav. Other functions are controlled at the touchscreen at center console. Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system is more advanced, but Lucid’s is intuitive enough and leaves some physical switches for controlling HVAC and audio volume.

Cruising on motorway, the Air is not quite as refined as the EQS. While Mercedes does the best job in insulating all noise sources from the cabin, in the Lucid you can hear more wind noise from the A-pillars, more tire roar from the Pirelli P-Zeros and some motor whine – there is no synthesized noise playing from the speakers to mask the motor whine either. However, neither noises are intrusive. Likewise, the suspension with adaptive dampers rides smoothly, but not quite as pillowy as Mercedes’ air suspension.



Accommodates like an S-class inside, plus an extra trunk.


However, the smoothness of electric powertrain is beyond doubt, thanks in part to the lack of gearchange. The acceleration is simply incredible. 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds, quarter mile is done in 9.9 seconds, it makes any AMGs, M-cars or Panamera laughable. Even the lesser, 800hp GT model is good for 0-60 in just over 3 seconds. The Air is not engineered to be a true sports sedan. It’s more an S-class rival than an AMG-killer, but it achieves supercar performance so effortlessly, all the while without the noise, harshness and drama of sports sedans.

Riding on skinny low-rolling resistance tires, it does not offer the same roadholding and braking performance as an AMG E63 or M5, of course, but for a large luxury car that offers a supple ride, its handling is unreasonably good. The steering has true feedback. The aluminum monocoque chassis, reinforced by the battery casing, feels solid. The 50:50 balance and low center of gravity keeps its mass in check, lets it corner stably, fluently and predictably. Even the brakes, actuated hydraulically rather than by-wire, feels natural, far more confidence-inspiring than the soft pedal of EQS. While the Air is no Porsche Taycan, it is one of the few luxury saloons that feels communicative and fun to drive on an interesting road.

In the making of Air, CEO Peter Rawlinson set two ambitious targets for the car: accommodates like an S-class and handles like a Lotus. They seem to be mutually exclusive, but thanks to innovative solutions and really impressive execution, both have been accomplished. Not just that, Lucid moves the game beyond the template set by Mercedes-Benz for so long, showing us the future of luxury motoring. It's time to move on.
Verdict: 
 Published on 11 Aug 2023
All rights reserved. 
Air Sapphire


Sapphire upgrade has the Air’s driving characteristics transformed.


Until now, Lucid Air’s main selling point is luxury and refinement rather than sporty handling. No matter how powerful it is, its soft suspension, narrow tires and ordinary brakes limit its ability to straight. In other words, it rivals Mercedes rather than AMG. However, the new range-topping Sapphire model is going to change that. It is the AMG of Lucid, combining lightning acceleration with sporty handling for the first time. Admittedly, it is also incredibly expensive at $250,000, significantly more than even the latest AMG S63 E-Performance plug-in hybrid.

As an electric car, performance upgrade is relatively simple. A third electric motor is added to the rear axle, meaning both rear wheels are independently powered. Needless to say, this has the benefit of instantaneous torque vectoring, which gives Lucid another dimension to tune its chassis dynamics. Each motor can produce up to 670 horsepower, but you won’t get a 2000-horsepower car because it is limited by the battery. Lucid would have loved to increase battery capacity, but considering the Air’s wheelbase is already fully occupied by the existing 118 kWh of battery modules, it is not altered this time around. As a result, the Sapphire is rated at 1234 horsepower, just 123 hp more than the next most powerful Dream Performance model. However, peak torque has risen by 305 lbft to 1430 lbft, should help improving acceleration. The company claims 0-60 mph is done in merely 1.9 seconds, something I think very difficult to achieve in the real world. Equally jaw-dropping is the 0-100 mph time of sub-4 seconds, which is quicker than any Ferraris on sale. A Tesla Model S Plaid – also powered by 3 motors – does 0-60 and 100 mph in 2.1 and 4.3 seconds, respectively, so the Lucid intents to eat Tesla for breakfast.

Frankly, chasing standing-start excitement is a bit childish. I would prefer more noise than just the digital numbers flashing on TFT instrument to remind how quick you are travelling. Fortunately, the Sapphire is not just a more powerful Air. Its chassis finally gets adequate upgrades to match its straight line performance. For starter, the skinny tires have been widened by 20mm, and the rear wheels get an inch larger in diameter. Moreover, those rubbers are now Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, and they have bespoke compounds: the middle of contact patch is harder to keep low rolling resistance on highway (hence better mileage, which is a very generous 427 miles), while the sides are softer compounds to enhance grip in cornering. The chassis gets wider tracks, too, necessitating wheelarch extensions. New alloy wheels have detachbale covers to enhance cooling, while inside the wheels are huge Akebono ceramic brakes: 420mm discs and 10-pot calipers up front, 390mm and 4-pot at the rear. The suspension gets stiffer springs and dampers accompanied with slightly lower ride height. The panoramic glass roof of other models is replaced with an aluminum one to lower center of gravity. Finally, a deeper lip spoiler, taller ducktail spoiler, diffusers and underbody strakes reduce aerodynamic lift.

On the road, the Sapphire upgrade has the Air’s driving characteristics transformed. Excessive rolls and float have been replaced with new-found body control. Traction and grip levels are finally a match to speed, as you no longer need to worry about spinning and sliding with enthusiastic throttle. In tighter corners, the big car – 5 meters long, 2 meters wide and 3 meters wheelbase – seems to shrink around you. The rear axle torque vectoring does an amazing job to help it attacking corner, although that could feel artificial and take some getting used to. Ultimately, this is a very big car, so it won’t match a BMW M5 CS in control and precision, but it can teach the AMG S63 a lesson or two, while offering more luxury, comfort and style than a Porsche Panamera.

Verdict:

Specifications





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
Air Pure RWD
2023
Rear motor, RWD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor
92kWh battery
-
-
-
430 hp
406 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
245/40ZR20
2057 kg
124 mph (limited)
4.5 (c) / 4.3* / 4.2**
9.8*
Air Pure AWD
2022
Front & rear motor, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
92kWh battery
-
-
-
480 hp
686 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 245/40ZR2; R: 265/40ZR20
2245 kg
140 mph (limited)
3.8 (c) / 3.5*
8.0*
Air Touring
2022
Front & rear motor, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
92kWh battery
-
-
-
620 hp
885 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 245/40ZR20; R: 265/40ZR20
2273 kg
140 mph (limited)
3.4 (c) / 3.0*
6.7*




Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
0-150 mph (sec)
Air Grand Touring
2021
Front & rear motor, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
113kWh battery
-
-
-
819 hp
885 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 245/40ZR20; R: 265/40ZR20
2364 kg
168 mph (limited)
3.0 (c) / 3.0* / 3.0**
6.0*
14.3*
Air Grand Touring Performance
2022
Front & rear motor, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
118kWh battery
-
-
-
1050 hp
921 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 245/40ZR20; R: 265/40ZR20
2384 kg
168 mph (limited)
2.6 (c) / 2.7**
-
-
Air Dream Performance
2021
Front & rear motor, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
4975 / 1939 / 1410 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
118kWh battery
-
-
-
1111 hp
1025 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 245/35ZR21; R: 265/35ZR21
2388 kg
168 mph (limited)
2.5 (c) / 2.6*
5.3*
11.7*




Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
0-150 mph (sec)
Air Sapphire
2023
1 front & 2 rear motors, e-4WD
Aluminum monocoque
Mainly aluminum
5017 / 1994 / 1407 mm
2960 mm
Electric motor x 2
118kWh battery
-
-
-
1234 hp
1430 lbft
1-speed
F: 4-link; R: multi-link
Adaptive damping
F: 265/35ZR20; R: 295/30ZR21
2425 kg
205 mph (limited)
1.9 (c) / 2.1* / 2.2**
4.0 (c) / 4.2* / 4.2**
8.9*


















































Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT





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