Lucid Air Dream Edition Range Test Video

[Ormond]

 

[Beasts]

Boy did we screw up! For just an additional $75,000 dollars we could have had an extra 100 plus miles of range over our 2021 S LR. And a half second faster 0 to 60 time. I can feel the buyer's remorse welling up!

 

[CraZ8]

Actually the Dream is a limited edition initial offering for $169k. You get the same range and the same standard options with the grand touring at $139k (before tax credit) but only 800 hp not 930. And since Tesla generally underperforms on range across models for these tests by ~13% while the lucid is ~4 percent under you are about ~150 more miles comparing a Lucid to a long range model S and nearly the same price point once you add all the goodies and self drive to the Tesla. ( the grand touring comes with everything included in the price) How long before Elon announces the Plaid plus is back in the works?

 

[Beasts]

I have to admit I wasn't very thorough with my homework but I was just having fun. We do love our S and don't have any regrets, especially since we paid much less than the current price having ordered it in 1/21. And I just can't get excited about the offered paint colors for the Lucid or the body shape, even though it does have an excellent CD. We'll see whether Tesla starts upping their game now that they have some serious competition.

 

[tm1v2]

The extra range is mostly from the extra large battery. The car is very much Model S in dimensions. So where did they fit the extra battery cells? Literally in the rear seat footwells. Possibly a worse back seat than a Model 3. As soon as I sat down in that back seat the car was dead to me, horribly uncomfortable for such a large car.

Lucid has (or will have) a version without the rear footwell battery cells. The resulting battery size is about the same as Model S, and it's EPA rated (or expected to be) around 400 miles...also about the same as a Model S. There's no big efficiency innovation here sadly that I can tell. They've done well just to match Tesla's latest cars out of the gate, but filling up the rear footwells with battery in a big 4 door car is stupid and nothing I would ever want to buy.

Then there's the lack of a hatch vs Model S. I love the Model S for being such a practical big car with its hatch and packaging. Lucid Air misses all of that and is frankly unappealing to me.

 

[CraZ8]

Yes and no on the extra range being due to an extra large battery. The Dream is using a 118 kw battery but the GT only uses a 112 kw battery to accomplish about the same range of 516 miles range. As for “ filling up the rear seat footwells “ they have done exactly likeTesla has with the skate board architecture. They have removed the cells in the touring and pure versions to give even more space in the rear footwells. I honestly can’t fathom someone complaining about the rear seat room when most professional reviewers have raved about the space ( throttle house put a 6’6” guy in the back with no problem) the car sports more interior space then the Mercedes EQS but has the outside dimensions of an E. class. Yes the lack of a hatch does make the S more usable for some situations for sure.

 

[qdeathstar]

What an ugly car….

 

[tm1v2]

@CraZ8 No it's not just a skateboard layout in the EPA 520 mile range version, there are additional batteries stacked on top of the skateboard under rear passenger's feet. Both their sales / showroom rep, and a non-sales Lucid employee I once ran into, confirmed extra batteries stacked there. Both confirmed the smaller battery version retains better vertical room for your legs. (I haven't seen or been inside a smaller battery version.)

I'm not sure if it's worse than a Model 3 back seat, but it's not better. Sure I fit fine if I don't mind having my knees in my face. The back seat of a Model S is better (if not exactly great either - skateboard layout never makes for a good back seat unless you build the car tall like a crossover/CUV).

I'm 95% sure they forbid early access reviewers from talking about how the rear seat is practically on the floor. I can't fathom how else it has not been mentioned.

 

[tm1v2]

What an ugly car….

I thought so too from pictures, and seeing one in a showroom was kind of...meh. I will admit it has real presence on the road now that I'm seeing them around. But it's not exactly pretty, that's for sure.

I still much prefer the Model S shape, which is classic and beautiful (especially now that they've figured out an aesthetically good front bumper design for 2021+).

 

[Ormond]

I haven’t seen me in person yet, so I’m reserving judgment. I like the exclusivity of the Lucid, and I’d appreciate a smoother ride.

 

[tm1v2]

Every time I see the Lucid Air I think:

 

[Ormond]

InsideEV video discussion regarding the Lucid Air range test with Tom Moloughney.

 

[CraZ8]

@CraZ8 No it's not just a skateboard layout in the EPA 520 mile range version, there are additional batteries stacked on top of the skateboard under rear passenger's feet. Both their sales / showroom rep, and a non-sales Lucid employee I once ran into, confirmed extra batteries stacked there. Both confirmed the smaller battery version retains better vertical room for your legs. (I haven't seen or been inside a smaller battery version.)

I'm not sure if it's worse than a Model 3 back seat, but it's not better. Sure I fit fine if I don't mind having my knees in my face. The back seat of a Model S is better (if not exactly great either - skateboard layout never makes for a good back seat unless you build the car tall like a crossover/CUV).

I'm 95% sure they forbid early access reviewers from talking about how the rear seat is practically on the floor. I can't fathom how else it has not been mentioned.

Sorry this is not the case. The battery pack consists of 70 mm batteries (2.75,inches) With the housing and other components you are looking at ~4 inches of height. You can’t possibly be telling me there is 8 inches of batteries double stacked in the footwell in a car that is lower than the model S or Mercedes’ EQS. Where the confusion comes in is they do double stack under the rear seat and under the front console Yes I believe they do rake the rear seat a bit more in the lucid to give more headroom. In regards to Lucid forcing reviewers not to talk about the rear we are entering tin foil hat area. There are enough reviews and reviewers looking at private cars so this dastardly secret of your knees at your hat level in the rear would bound to leak out. Just watch the throttle house review on you tube ( those guys are funny as hell) when they put the 6’6” guy in the back