Lucid Air

The Lucid Air was conceived in the early 2010s, with a prototype unveiled to the public in 2016, and the production version unveiled in September 2020, with production planned for 2021. In 2016, Lucid Motors created a delivery van with the prototype of its electric powertrain for the Air using batteries from its former brand, Atieva. Known as "Edna", the delivery van contained two gearboxes, motors producing over and an 87 kWh battery pack. Combined with all-wheel drive and other physical and software updates, Edna was able to achieve 0– in 2.74 seconds and a in 11.3 seconds. According to Lucid Motors, Edna was used to test the real world performance of its powertrain, including "motor control algorithms, regenerative braking behaviors, accelerator pedal feel, and cooling strategies". In 2018, a modified Lucid Air prototype set an EV lap record of 1:41.67 at the Laguna Seca track, beating the Jaguar I-Pace's previous record of 1:48.18 by seven seconds. The prototype Air was equipped with "Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires, modified high temperature brake pads and fluid, a 6-point roll cage and fire suppression system". In 2018, Lucid Motors closed a investment deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund to fund the Air production, The factory investment was expected to reach by 2025 when all phases are complete, with the first phase including a investment in equipment and to acquire property. By May 2019, the Air was available for pre-order in the United States and Canada, with plans slated for China. In an interview, CEO Peter Rawlinson stated that China was projected as a significant market for Lucid Motors due to their intensive usage patterns, for which the Air is best suited. In a 2019 interview, Rawlinson outlined that the US$100,000-plus vehicle could be the first stage of a much bigger vision, which could achieve a level of energy efficiency that combined with a ubiquitous fast charging network, would counteract the need for larger batteries. Rawlinson said that Lucid Motors aims to improve energy efficiency to compared to an industry average of . On May 5, 2022, Lucid Motors announced that it was raising prices of its luxury Air sedan beginning June 1. The price hikes would push the base price of the Air sedan up as much as 13%. In December 13, 2022, Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., and Lucid Group, Inc. announced they had entered into multi-year agreements to supply batteries for Lucid’s award-winning luxury electric vehicle In June 2024, Rawlinson announced that the Lucid Air (RWD) had achieved a record efficiency, covering , up from its prior record-setting . == Overview ==

Design The Air has been designed to compete in the luxury sports segment against the Tesla Model S as well as high-line models from German car manufacturers. Its goal is to match the ability of sport coupes, but has a greater interior space, with a smaller external length and width. The exterior design was led by Derek Jenkins. On September 9, 2020, the Lucid Air was officially unveiled, and on November 24, 2020, Lucid Motors detailed the full range including the Lucid Air Pure, Touring, Grand Touring and Dream Edition. On November 24, 2020, the company-predicted range for all four models was announced: for the Lucid Air Pure and Lucid Air Touring, for the Lucid Air Dream Edition, and for the Lucid Air Grand Touring. A 2022 test drive revealed that the Grand Touring model only managed 410 miles; however, this was still the first EV tested by Car and Driver to top 400 miles. In 2024, Lucid Air broke the Guinness World Record for an EV driving through the most countries with a single charge – crossing 9 countries in . DreamDrive (ADAS) On July 29, 2020, Lucid Motors announced DreamDrive, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) which will debut in the Air. The DreamDrive sensor suite has 32 sensors in total, including "14 cameras: Three forward-facing, four side- and rear-facing, four surround-view, a rear-facing, a rear-facing fisheye, and lastly, a driving monitoring one. There are five radar units. One is a forward-facing long-range sensor, and the other four are short-range ones. Twelve short-range ultrasonic sensors handle near-field detection, and lastly, a high-resolution, long-range, 125-beam (equivalent), forward-facing Lidar maps the three-dimensional space ahead of the car." Aerodynamics The preproduction Air has a . Rawlinson claims the Air has less drag than the Mercedes-Benz EQS due to a smaller frontal area. Powertrain In February 2020, Lucid Motors announced a partnership with LG Chem through which the latter company would provide battery cells for the Lucid Air sedan through 2023. In December 13, 2022 – Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., and Lucid Group, Inc. announced they had entered into multi-year agreements to supply batteries for Lucid’s award-winning luxury electric vehicle. of torque and of range. The Air Dream Edition Range will had a 112 kWh battery pack which will provide an estimated of EPA range. The Air Dream Edition Performance will had a combined output of and will be able to accelerate from in 2.5 seconds. , the most efficient version on sale in the US, the Air Grand Touring with 19-in wheels, has an EPA rated energy efficiency of . The 800-volt DC charging system, first used by the Porsche Taycan, allows variable voltages up to 1000 volts, and thus is fully compatible with Lucid's 924-volt electrical architecture. When used with a 300 kW or higher charging station, the vehicle can gain 300 miles of range in 20 minutes. The vehicle features a bidirectional rectifier capable of supplying up to 19.2 kW (240V ~ 80A) of AC power that could power a home or other load. The company claims that its 2170 cells differ significantly from normal lithium ion cells due to their tolerance of repeated cyclic fast charging and non-use for a prolonged period of time while maintaining capacity. cable in conjunction with the second generation 40A Mobile Charging Cable. == Features ==

Other standard features include: "LED headlights, all the necessary hardware for autonomous driving, four high resolution screens (three of which are touch sensitive), 19-inch alloy wheels, 10-speaker sound system, 12-way power adjustment for the front seats with heating, front and rear trunk with a total luggage space of around , and over-the-air software updates." The Air can be optioned as a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain producing up to for the top of the range Air Dream Edition P. Other options include: "active suspension, a panoramic sunroof, executive rear seats that can recline up to 55 degrees, a 21-speaker sound system with noise cancellation, 20 or 21-inch alloy wheels, and 22-way electric adjustment front seats with ventilation, dynamic bolsters and massage." == Safety ==

The Lucid Air was chosen as one of the Top 10 Tech Cars by the IEEE in 2018 and is the 2022 Motor Trend Car of the Year. In April 2023 the Lucid Air was named the 2023 World Luxury Car of the Year by the World Car Awards. In April 2024, Car and Driver included the 2024 Lucid Air Sapphire in its annual Lightning Lap. It set a time of 2:44.3 around Virginia International Raceway, making it both the fastest EV ever tested and the fastest four-door ever tested around the track. == Models ==