Lucid Airs High-Performance EV

On Wednesday Menlo Park, Calif.-based electric vehicle startup Lucid Motors Inc. (formerly Atieva) unveiled its first vehicle, the Air electric sedan, which it plans to launch in about two years.

The base all-wheel-drive model teams a 100-kWh battery pack with two electric motors that generate a combined 1,000 hp and rocket the car from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Lucid estimates the car will have more than a 300-mile driving range. An optional 130-kWh battery pack promises to boost the range to 400 miles.

Lucid developed the batteries with South Korea’s Samsung SDI Co., which will supply most of the lithium-ion packs to the carmaker. Lucid says it has more than 50 patents related to the cylindrical cell chemistry that is said to increase energy density, power, longevity, safety and tolerance to repeated fast charging.

Described as a “private jet on four wheels,” the Air is about the size of a Mercedes E-Class sedan but with legroom akin to the full-size S-Class, according to Lucid. The rear seats fully recline like a first-class airline seat. Options include a glass canopy roof and a 29-speaker audio system.

The vehicle also will feature several automated vehicle controls and the capability to add more functions via over-the-air software updates. Voice control systems can be used to manage various vehicle systems.  

A high-content “launch edition” model, which will be limited to the first 255 cars, is expected to be priced at about $160,000. Base models will start at about half that amount.

Lucid plans to build the Air at a new factory in Casa Grande, Ariz., which the company will begin constructing early next year. The carmaker hopes to sell 10,000 vehicles in its first year and eventually ramp up annual volumes to about 60,000 units.

Formed in 2007 by former Tesla and Oracle employees, Lucid is partially funded by Paolo Alto, Calif.-based venture capital group Venrock Associates. Other investors include Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, who also is backing another EV startup, Faraday Future Inc.