The appearance of Lucid Air is a show in itself – a four-wheeled UFO. The luxury sedan from America makes this clear: Here comes the automotive future – electric and mega-luxury, of course. Prices start correspondingly high: 199,000 francs. The Lucid Air GT Dream Edition has 1126 hp, or “only” 946 hp, but has a range of 900 kilometers.
But the confident prices of Lucid, which can be purchased online and from so-called sales studios (see box), are obviously not calculated too high. The first batch of the exclusive Dream Edition, fully equipped in elegant color combinations, has long been sold out in Europe. We’ll also get the Lucid Air as a cheaper grand touring variant – with 812 hp and a range of 850 kilometers – and as an entry-level model with 480 hp and a range of 650 kilometers. European prices for these versions are yet to be determined, but in the US they are around $150,000 and $80,000, respectively.
400 km range in 12 minutes
In addition to performance, the Lucid Air’s long range is particularly noteworthy. “We paid attention to this in the design, and that’s why Lucid Air has a coefficient of friction of 0.21,” explains lead designer Derek Jenkins. Thanks to its 900-volt onboard system, it only takes twelve minutes to charge the 113 kWh battery pack with a range of more than 400 kilometers. A so-called miracle box allows Lucid to charge electricity at all charging stations in the shortest possible time or discharge it if desired.
Space like S-class
At 4.98 metres, the Lucid Air is roughly the same length as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series or Mercedes EQE. Thanks to its enormous wheelbase of 2.96 meters, the Ami offers legroom like the Mercedes S-Class. Also air-conditioned front seats with black leather upholstery and rear seats with brown leather upholstery. At the rear, the low roofline and battery pack in the underbody limit the sense of space a bit. The flat trunk at the rear offers 650 liters, and the front luggage compartment, which can also be opened electrically, offers an additional 280 liters.
No head-up display
Except for the missing head-up display, the indicators resemble the Porsche Taycan. Most functions can be operated by voice or using the steering wheel rotary controls. Space in front and back is good. The circular screens arranged in a crescent shape on a 34-inch horizontal display look as cool as the upright touchscreen on the center console, which folds up when touched from the bottom edge, revealing wide shelves underneath. Stylish and practical solution.
great support
The thrust of the Lucid Air Grand Touring, which we use with 812 hp (597 kW), is enormous despite its weight of almost 2.4 tons thanks to its 1200 Nm torque. While stationary, you can accelerate to 100 km/h in about three seconds and stop at just 270 km/h. Back on the highway, the digits on the digital speedometer race and the Lucid Air is speeding along. There’s always plenty of traction thanks to all-wheel drive. The gap between maximum recovery and mechanical braking, such as the adjustment of the comfort chassis and energy recovery during electric braking, fits perfectly. The steering won’t convince. Your electric support looks like wood and you hardly feel the road and its surface. However, this is also due to the adaptive air suspension, which, despite the huge 21-inch tires, eliminates the bumps without a trace.
Will Lucid be a serious competitor? Definitely: Tesla and well-known European luxury manufacturers with e-models such as the Audi E-Tron GT, BMW i7 or Mercedes EQE have to dress warmly.