First, a caveat: as there is still no launch date for a right-hand drive Lucid Air, this is not a conventional, ‘should I consider this car for my UK fleet’ type story. Instead, it’s a chance to see what the rest of the world is up to in terms of full-electric premium vehicles – and in this case, somewhat unusually, from a Far Western rather than Far Eastern start-up.
In California – where Lucid is from and where this test-drive took place – Tesla SUVs are everywhere, from the older and well-established Model X and Y, to the newer and infamously angular Cybertruck. In contrast, the Lucid Air is a rare saloon rival to the Tesla Model S – and surprisingly practical with it, more of which later. In terms of size, the Air is 4,975mm long, 1,939mm wide, 1,410mm high and with a 2,960mm wheelbase, which makes it longer than a Porsche Taycan (4,963mm) and shorter than the Tesla Model S (4,980mm) and forthcoming Volvo ES90 (5,000mm).
First impressions are impressive. Its smooth surfacing and wide-and-low proportions give the Air an authority on the road, whether parked up or in motion. This slickness of surface partly explains the Air’s truly amazing 0.197 Cd drag coefficient, which in turn improves how far it can travel before requiring a recharge. The mid-model Air Touring we tested (from $78,900) offers a 406-mile range from its 92kWh battery, while the Grand Touring (from $110,900) claims a whopping 512 miles. The Air is no ‘eco hair shirt’ though. The Touring model can achieve 0-60mph in a supercar-fast 3.4 seconds, while the Air Sapphire slashes that already rapid time down to a hypercar-whipping 1.89 seconds. Caveat number two: the Sapphire model costs $249,000, but it does showcase what Lucid’s engineering team can conjure.
Interior
The Air’s interior design ambience encourages a calmer and more considered approach to driving though. The cabin is clean and uncluttered, with a sensible mix of physical and digital switches. The driver display ‘floats’ above the dashboard’s top and is supplemented by a large portrait-shaped screen below it that deploys downwards or slides away at the touch of a button. The rear passenger space offers limo levels of legroom and the space feels even bigger due to its two-piece panoramic roof and a windscreen that stretches back above the driver’s head, with sun visors built into the glass. This is a very cool feature which elevates the interior considerably.
One of the more surprising aspects of this sleek and fast saloon is its capaciousness. Beyond the 626-litre boot with extra under-floor space at the rear, the Air also has a deep 283-litre compartment at the front which can swallow large bags (no charging cables-only small space this). Indeed, on our test, three large ‘hold’ and four compact ‘carry-on’ aircraft bags were stowed away, no problem.
Performance and charging
Despite the car’s accelerative potential on the highway, driving the car remains a serene and easy process around town. Of the three driving modes – Smooth, Swift and Sprint – the first mode was the one we employed most of the time, despite occasional ‘challenges’ from (mainly) petrol-engined car drivers who had perhaps heard of the Lucid’s speed but were quickly dispatched.
Recharging was also a genuine breeze. Through Lucid’s deal with the nearly 900-strong Electrify America US charging network, a circa 500-mile trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles was managed via two comfortable stops. Each time, the car just needs to be plugged in, a few buttons pressed on the charging post and electricity starts to flow (no apps or downloads required). From the widely prevalent super-fast 350kW chargers on that route, the Air Touring got from 20-80% in about half an hour, adding some 240 miles in the process.
Equipment levels are also decent on the 620hp dual-motor AWD Touring – which sits second in the four-strong line-up including the 430hp single-motor RWD Pure entry grade, 819hp Grand Touring and 1234hp Sapphire top-end model (both dual-motor AWDs). The car’s own navigation and infotainment system is surprisingly good, although Apple Carplay compatibility is standard if preferred, mirroring to the smaller upper-right-hand part of the driver display. Less good are the wide A-pillars that no doubt aid roll-over protection but can restrict driver vision, and the slowness of the bird’s eye view camera to depart from the main screen after you’ve moved on, or any hazard identified. But these are small downsides.
In summary, the Air is a very smart – if so-far niche – addition to US roads, which has recently been joined by a still shapely SUV/MPV bigger brother model called Gravity. Both are great Tesla alternatives and although Lucid is currently facing some start-up financial issues, it deserves to succeed on the basis of its product quality alone. Lucid should already be a benchmark to global brands with premium EVs on sale in Europe and the US and hopefully UK fleets will one day get a chance to experience the brand on these shores too.
Positive: Design, range, performance.
Negative: Start-up wobbles, not yet in the UK.
Standard equipment: Eight airbags, blind spot warning, lane departure protection, front and rear cross traffic alert with active braking, traffic sign recognition, front and rear park sensors, 3D surround view monitor, high beam assist, adaptive cruise control, adaptive damping suspension, three-zone climate control, 34in cockpit display, retractable pilot panel screen,Bluetooth wireless Apple Carplay mirror screening, 12-way powered and heated front seats, 19in alloys.
Engines: Electric: 430hp, 620hp, 819hp, 1,234hp
Equipment grades: Pure, Touring, Grand Touring, Sapphire
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
| Model | Lucid Air Touring |
| Price (US) | $78,900 |
| On sale | Now (US); pending (UK) |
| Range | 406 miles |
| CO2 | 0g/km |
| BIK 20/40% a month | £28/£56 |
| Luggage capacity | 626 litres |
| Battery size/power | 92kWh/620hp |
| Score | 9/10 |
