Price (as tested) 💲: $155,650
Powertrain ⚙️: 2 Radial-Flux Electric Motors + 112 kWh battery
Output 💪: 819 hp/885 lb-ft of torque
Transmission 🕹: Single-speed Direct Drive
0-60 MPH 🚦: 3.0 seconds
Top Speed 💥: 168 mph
MPG (as tested) ⛽️: 121 city/122 hwy/121 combined MPG + 469 mile range
Curb weight ⚖️: 5,203 lbs
Building a car brand in the EV space is, admittedly, an easier proposition than diving headfirst into the auto industry 20 years ago. Expectations are still low and critical technology still has bottlenecks that all carmakers (established or not) are struggling to overcome.
It’s easier, but far from easy. To be taken seriously, the vehicles have to be smooth, quick, efficient, and sophisticated. Early adopters will put up with a few kinks in the road, maybe a recall or two, but the core product must be a knockout.
Lucid had great bones, with R&D leadership that donated heavily to Tesla success. The rest, as shown by the Lucid Air Grand Touring, are the guts of greatness.
Space age styling, high-end luxury materials, phenomenal power (over 800hp), sublime ride quality, and stellar range (up to 516 miles on a charge) – the Lucid Air GT carves a compelling niche within a burgeoning luxury EV segment.
Whatever comes next from Lucid will face strengthening competition from automakers racing to catch up, but this first foray should reserve enough attention to give that new model a considerable head start.