Lucid has among the most superior electrical car expertise available on the market, surpassing established automakers and even EV chief Tesla.
Rawlinson has been outspoken in stating precisely what Lucid’s EV rivals are doing improper, and he’s all the time expressed absolute confidence that Lucid will make it huge. He not too long ago talked to CarBuzz on the sidelines of the 2024 Goodwood Competition of Pace and reiterated his perception that Lucid will find yourself dominating the automotive market.
Lucid leads for EV tech however not gross sales
Although Lucid vehicles are among the most superior, quickest and most effective EVs round, the Arizona-based and Saudi-backed producer must promote much more vehicles to matter on the worldwide stage. Final 12 months it made slightly over 8,400 vehicles, so it wants to begin ramping up manufacturing.
He mentioned, “Don’t consider Lucid as a distinct segment luxurious automobile firm. We’re gonna be large. I need us to promote 1,000,000 items a 12 months and have a a lot larger affect than that.” Lucid at the moment solely sells one automobile, the Air sedan, which is a luxurious sedan whose most cost-effective model, the Air Pure, is $69,900. It’s not inexpensive sufficient to make Lucid a real quantity participant, however the firm is engaged on a $48,000 midsize mannequin that can assist it attain the purpose of promoting that many vehicles.
The Lucid boss went on to focus on the truth that for an EV, “over 40% of the price of constructing that automobile is the price of the battery. The gasoline engine may cost $2,000 to make; the electrical battery pack can value $20,000. So, when others are gigacastings, which could make $130 distinction” he famous, referring to the gigacasting course of that Tesla already makes use of and different producers might also undertake he concluded by saying “I am going for the jugular: the battery pack value.”
The 900-volt structure, the very best of any EV in manufacturing, distinguishes Lucid’s EV expertise from that of different producers. This not solely permits Lucid vehicles to have among the many finest charging energy figures available on the market, however it additionally helps the Air sip electrons extra frugally than different EVs.
Rawlinson’s confidence extends to the upcoming Lucid Gravity SUV, which he regards as one of the best SUV on the earth. He expects it to eat into Rivian R1S gross sales and asks “‘How is Rivian gonna reply?’ As a result of Gravity is gonna be one of the best SUV on the market, and nobody will have the ability to compete with it. To me, product is king. Deliver it on […], however I’ve pushed R1S, and I’ve pushed the Gravity. I am not nervous.” Rivian not too long ago closely revised the R1 line of fashions with new batteries, motors and software program.
Lucid not too long ago introduced that the Air sedan revised for the 2025 mannequin 12 months achieved a class-leading effectivity determine of simply 5 miles for every kilowatt-hour consumed. This permits the Air Pure to journey over 400 real-world miles on one cost of its 84 kWh battery. To place how spectacular that’s into perspective, the BMW i5 M60 can’t go greater than about 265 miles with its 81.2 kWh battery earlier than it must be plugged in.
We not too long ago reviewed the BMW i5 M60, which had a median electrical energy consumption of two.6 miles per kWh, and it by no means confirmed greater than 210 miles of predicted vary even with a full battery. After we put the 2022 Lucid Air Dream Version by our 70 mph vary take a look at, Tom Moloughney drove it for 7 hours straight and lined simply over 500 miles on one cost, with a median consumption determine of 4.3 miles per kWh. This was two years in the past, and Lucids have grow to be much more environment friendly since.
