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For some, it’s just a stuffed toy. But for Eric Bach (51), the little deer is a prize. The award was won by US electric carmaker Lucid Motors, founded in 2007, because its first Air model mastered the deer avoidance test faster than any other car in tests conducted by the Car of the Year jury. The front spoiler scraped so much against the asphalt that the body sank into the water. But the limousine still remained on track when it hit the hook at 83 km per hour.
While rival Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk shriek their message to the world, Newark, California-based Lucid is meticulously developing the technology. Almost no one knows the differences between the two electric car makers, and Bach: He powered Tesla’s Model S in 2012, with today’s Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson as lead developer. “We gave it our all, 16 or 18 hours a day; it doesn’t matter,” says the native German. After eleven years at VW, he left his backbreaking job at Tesla: “My former colleagues predicted you would be back in three weeks. Walking was a mortal sin.”
Self-developed electrical technology
Today, Bach leads Lucid forward as Chief Technology Officer. “We develop important components ourselves: battery pack, charger, electric motors, software, energy management.” Only the chassis or seats remained for suppliers. Even headlights with special lenses are designed in-house. Where is the biggest progress? “In the case of batteries, their energy density increases by five percent every two to three years.” And with that, range.
Bach thinks energy efficiency rather than battery size is important. The price of the Air models and the Gravity SUV, which were exhibited for the first time in Europe at the Geneva International Motor Show, is only around 90,000 francs. “Our customers can already afford electricity,” says Bach. However, Lucid achieves the same range as its rivals with twelve percent less battery capacity. “This means twelve percent less raw materials, less weight and less energy consumption in production.” Bach looks deeply into the details: the optimized magnetic fields of the electric motors, the oil pump for the cooling circuit, the low-friction drive shafts, the smooth front surfaces of the cars. There is optimization potential everywhere for lower consumption.
Software is the most important thing
Bach is considered a pioneer in the field of e-mobility in the luxury segment: “Green is the new luxury.” Expensive innovations may be justified because the vehicles are not as cost-sensitive as small electric cars. The increase in comfort compared to the previous V12 and V8 petrol engines is huge. Thanks to the extremely rigid bodies in terms of driving dynamics, you can win over even small deers. “And even at full throttle, you can travel much more efficiently in an electric car than before.” There’s also a business case for Lucid: British sports car manufacturer Aston Martin will purchase Lucid’s electric technology for its future electric vehicles.
Software is now more important than hardware. About 55 percent of Lucid developers write code. But not alone, but in close collaboration with classical engineers. “One example: Our traction control system now receives sensor data 40 times more frequently than competitors,” says Bach. Established manufacturers missed the train, especially when it comes to software, and now they have to make up for the decade-long lag and collaborate with tech giants like Google.
A smaller model will arrive soon
Lucid’s main investor, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, is buying the time it needs to establish itself. While US electrical brands such as Rivian and Fisker suffer from high operating costs for materials and production, often operating on the verge of bankruptcy, and Tesla also has to go through difficult financial times, financier Lucid has their backs. The company is responding with a factory in Jeddah, where around 150,000 cars a year are expected to roll off the assembly line from 2025, supporting the country’s transformation in terms of a post-oil era.
So how does it continue? Following the Gravity, a midsize crossover with Lucid precision but at a cheaper price is also expected to attract new customers next year. In addition to two showrooms in Zurich and Geneva, a service center for professional vehicle delivery and maintenance is being built at Höri ZH. Lucid wants to come and stay.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
