Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Electric Car Start-Up Lucid Motors Unveils the Air

      Another electric car start-up throws its hat into the ring.

    Only a couple of months after electric vehicle start-up Lucid Motors came out of the dark and unveiled an unnamed prototype vehicle, they have unveiled their first model named the Air. The model is taking direct aim at Tesla and their Model S sedan.

    The Air is powered by two electric motors - one on each axle - and can be paired with either a 100 kWh or 130 kWh battery pack. Total output stands at 1,000 horsepower. In terms of range, the 100 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide over 300 miles and 130 kWh battery pack is estimated to provide around 400 miles.

     

    Outside, the Lucid Air looks like something out of Minority Report. The front is short and features slim headlights and 'grille'. The windshield extends over the driver's head to make the interior feel more airy. The back reveals a short decklid and an extended roofline. The interior looks richly appointed with reclining rear seats, a number of screens, and a 29-speaker audio system. Despite overall exterior dimensions being close to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lucid promises interior space to be on par with larger sedans.

    Lucid Motors is making the Air ready for Level 4 autonomy - a system where it can control the vehicle in most conditions and don't require a lot of attention from the driver. There are six radar modules, eight cameras and four LIDAR sensors around the vehicle. The Air will display any obstacles it detects on the dashboard to give the driver some confidence in the system. Whether the Air will launch with Level 4 autonomy capability remains to be seen as this is still working its way through the legal system.

    Pricing hasn't been finalized, but Lucid estimates the Air will begin somewhere around $160,000. Production is expected to begin in 2018 at a new factory in Arizona.

    Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Roadshow

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Have to say I like the style and interior far better than Tesla!

    Love the battery range options too, 300 mile or 400 mile battery pack. Course they are going for an even higher income level person than most Tesla owners. Be interesting to see if they survive or get bought in the future.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    6 hours ago, dfelt said:

    Have to say I like the style and interior far better than Tesla!

    Love the battery range options too, 300 mile or 400 mile battery pack. Course they are going for an even higher income level person than most Tesla owners. Be interesting to see if they survive or get bought in the future.

    Let's first see them get to market, then we can talk about survival.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    15 hours ago, William Maley said:

    Let's first see them get to market, then we can talk about survival.

    Agreed.

    Not sure if these guys are going to even be able to get out of the gate yet!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • Seems GM has surpassed Tesla in battery cell production according to Bloomberg story and interview with Mary. GM Produces More Battery Cells In The US Than Tesla
    • If all they import is the tech but build it here, it could happen.  GM is putting a lot of money into building battery plants in the US.  They're going to overtake Tesla soon in battery build capacity.
    • I guess I wonder where this leaves Buick in the US... I like their products although not a huge fan of the new exterior design language, but I guess for now Buick here will be ICE only? I know they wanted to be all electric by 2030, but I don't see that happening here.
    • At the 2025 Shanghai Mobility Show, Buick unveiled the Buick Electra GS Concept, a large EV sedan that showcases the brand's new Xaio Yao "super architecture".  This concept leads the way for Buick's all-new sub-brand ELECTRA.  Xaio Yao will underpin six new Buick models released over the next two years.  While Buick says the platform is tailor made for the Chinese market, the technical specs are such that we can't help but hope that it comes to the U.S. as well.   The key features of the platform are its ability to support multiple body styles, sizes, drive configurations, and propulsion systems. The platform can be configured as a pure electric (BEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or an extended range electric vehicle (EREV).  Depending on the propulsion plant chosen, it can be configured in front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive formats. Partnered with CATL, new Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries allow ultra-fast peak charging at 640kW enabling approximately 217 miles of range added in 10 minutes. LFP batteries are compelling because they use neither nickle nor cobalt and instead rely solely on common elements Iron and Phosphate in their construction. LFP batteries also offer around double the number of charge cycles that traditional lithium-ion batteries offer and do not suffer capacity loss to the degree traditional lithium ion-batteries do. Currently, the only EVs available in the United States with LFP batteries are certain base model Tesla Model-3 and Model-Y. Buick Electra GS The Buick Electra GS Concept is an imposing vehicle, clocking in at 208.7 inches long with a 126-inch wheelbase. For reference, that's longer than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lucid Air. Buick calls the design Kinetic Sculpture with a wide stance and flowing surfaces. The dashboard is especially low, giving occupants exceptional views out the front of the vehicle. The driver gets an augmented reality heads-up display while a 16.3-inch widescreen display caters to the infotainment needs of passengers. Little is said about the likelihood of the Electra GS making it into production, however, Buick did release images of three EVs destine for the market leading off with a new flagship MPV called Encasa.  The Encasa will be offered in both PHEV and EV configurations.       View full article
    • Excuses for the guy about having PTSD. He is a bully, an idiot and deserves in Jail.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search