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Lucid Air

Without Electronic Limiter, Lucid Air Hits 235 mph Top Speed

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The Lucid Air Alpha Speed Car, was first tested at the large oval track of the Transportation Research Center of Ohio in April 2017. The car was given aerodynamic aids and a parachute to slow the car abruptly in case the straights didn’t prove long enough to reach desired speeds and slow down sufficiently for the next turn. For the first test, the top speed was software limited to 217 mph (350 km/h).

This July. the Lucid team recently returned to the Transportation Research Center facility for the next round of testing with the Lucid Air Alpha Speed Car. The Lucid team tackled the high-speed oval again, this time with the software speed limit removed so they could evaluate performance at even higher speeds, up to 235 mph.

That morning there was a rain delay, but it was clear to the spotters standing hundreds of meters away that the car was moving faster coming off the banking than during the last test. And they were right. This time the Air came off the high banking at 215 mph and reached an ultimate GPS confirmed speed of 235.44 mph.

The Lucid team made a few adjustments based on what they learned to improve upon their first time. The air suspension required a software update to improve responsiveness when loaded heavily. The front motor required updates to coolant flow and ventilation. New, aerodynamically efficient wheels were fitted. Finally, they removed the speed limiter to see what a Lucid Air alpha prototype was capable of achieving.

Lucid Motors intends to start production of the Lucid Air by 2018, with a base model priced at between $50,000-$60,000 dollars.

Features of the base Lucid Air include:

  • 240-mile range
  • 400 horsepower (rear-wheel drive)
  • All hardware necessary for autonomous driving
  • Huge interior space in an efficient package
  • Two trunks, one in the front and one in the rear, with a combined storage capacity of over 32 cubic feet (similar to the volume of a 4-person hot tub)
  • 12-way power front seats
  • LED multi-lens array headlights
  • Four screens, with interactive-touch surfaces on three
  • 5-seat configuration with a rear bench seat
  • 10 advanced airbags
  • Aluminum roof
  • 19-inch wheels
  • 10-speaker audio system
  • Over-the-air software updates

The price of a fully loaded Lucid Air will likely be above $100,000.

Features of the fully loaded Lucid Air include:

  • 315-mile and 400-mile-range battery options
  • Up to 1,000-horsepower twin-motor configuration, with all-wheel drive
  • Fully active suspension, delivering a world-class ride
  • Glass-canopy roof
  • Rear executive seats that recline up to 55 degrees
  • 22-way power front seats with heating, ventilation, dynamic bolsters, and massage
  • 21-inch Lucid-design wheels
  • 29-speaker audio system with active noise cancellation
  • Expanded leather trim with corresponding material upgrades
Lucid Air

On the Lucid Air

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Lucid Air

On December 14, 2016, Lucid revealed the Lucid Air to the world during a private VIP event in Fremont, California.  Since then, the California based company and its Tesla challenger, the Lucid Air, has been the talk of the high tech electric automotive startup scene.  The fully electric drive cars are not expected to roll out to customers until 2019, so it’s still in the early stages of development.  At around this time there has been a lot of speculation about the price, feasibility, and realism of the idea that it will compete with the Tesla Model S.  However, a lot of media members have been able to get their hands on the early models and go for test drives.  The Lucid Air features impressive digital displays and all of the trappings of a futuristic luxury sedan.  It is equipped with the necessary sensors for automated drive and really utilizes space well in the back and front seats for, well, activities you will have time for when your not really driving.

Lucid recently started a blog to address some confusion about the Lucid Air they call  Clear the Air, the first edition of which they used to elaborate further upon the pricing and features of the Lucid Air:

The Base Lucid Air

The car that we have been showing publicly represents a well-optioned Lucid Air, leading to confusion regarding the price range. Much of the speculation suggests that the starting price of the car will be over $100,000, which is not accurate. The Lucid Air will have a base price of $52,500, after the federal tax credit available to buyers of battery electric vehicles is subtracted. The base model car will be well appointed and enjoyable to drive. It will provide superior comfort, a better user interface, and better performance than comparably priced BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes.

Features of the base Lucid Air include:

  • 240-mile range
  • 400 horsepower (rear-wheel drive)
  • All hardware necessary for autonomous driving
  • Huge interior space in an efficient package
  • Two trunks, one in the front and one in the rear, with a combined storage capacity of over 32 cubic feet (similar to the volume of a 4-person hot tub)
  • 12-way power front seats
  • LED multi-lens array headlights
  • Four screens, with interactive-touch surfaces on three
  • 5-seat configuration with a rear bench seat
  • 10 advanced airbags
  • Aluminum roof
  • 19-inch wheels
  • 10-speaker audio system
  • Over-the-air software updates

Options

Above the base model, there will be a number of available options, as demonstrated by the alpha show car, which will allow the Lucid Air to compete with the best of the large luxury cars. We don’t yet have all of the options and packages ready to announce, but we can give you a sense of what options will be available:

  • 315-mile and 400-mile-range battery options
  • Up to 1,000-horsepower twin-motor configuration, with all-wheel drive
  • Fully active suspension, delivering a world-class ride
  • Glass-canopy roof
  • Rear executive seats that recline up to 55 degrees
  • 22-way power front seats with heating, ventilation, dynamic bolsters, and massage
  • 21-inch Lucid-design wheels
  • 29-speaker audio system with active noise cancellation
  • Expanded leather trim with corresponding material upgrades

A fully loaded Lucid Air will have higher performance, greater comfort, and better efficiency than the current high-end market benchmarks. This unique set of attributes will allow the Lucid Air to compete with the best in the world, across multiple automotive classes. The price of a fully loaded Air will be above $100,000, but we are not yet able to provide specific top-of-the-line pricing.

The Launch Edition

We have also received many questions related to the pricing and features for the 255 Launch Edition cars that will be the first customer cars off of the production line. These cars will be very well optioned as standard and will be priced over $100,000. Expect a 315-mile range, 1,000 horsepower, autonomous driving hardware, 21-inch wheels, and an upgraded audio system for starters. Some features, such as the rear executive seats, cannot yet be confirmed for early production. The Launch Edition cars will also have unique colors and badging, signifying their special nature. Additional details will be announced closer to the start of production.

We hope this post has provided additional insight into the pricing and optional feature strategy for the Lucid Air. We intend to have a car that is competitive in features and price with mid-level luxury vehicles and can also be configured to compete with the best cars in the world across classes.

Reserve your Lucid Air and Lucid Air Launch Edition today.