How do you go after the high-end of the electric car market and beat the incumbent Tesla Model S? In the case of the Lucid Air, they’re hoping to make the case by beefing up the car’s range to a whopping 400 miles, making for an EV that can match conventional cars in longer-distance driving.
No, they didn’t perform any sorcery on the battery to achieve that range. Instead, they just fitted it with the largest battery pack in the automotive world – a 130kWh array that should make this one unusually hefty car.
The Lucid Air comes with two electric motors: one that’s integrated with the HVAC and suspension up front and one that’s integrated with the transmission and suspension out back. This integrated setup allows the assembly to be more compact for space-efficiency, all while being more power-dense and reliable. Together, the two engines can push out a whopping 1,000 horsepower, pushing the car to a claimed 0 to 60 of 2.5 seconds.
With self-driving tech now a big part of the Tesla models, the car is similarly equipped, with a radar, camera, and Lidar array for facilitating autonomous function. Features include unique self-adjusting headlights for better efficiency, voice-activated vehicle systems (via an accompanying app), a spacious cabin that boasts a length similar to large luxury sedans, a 29-speaker audio system, and rear seats that can recline 55 degrees.
Slated for production in 2018, the Lucid Air will be priced just over $100,000.
