That gave Lucid the perfect starting point.
Rawlinson has one of the most enviable CVs in the car business: having been chief engineer at both Lotus and Jaguar, the Welshman then fathered the Tesla Model S. Measuring 4976mm long, 1936mm wide and 1407mm tall, it's actually more E-Class than S-Class. But thanks to its ultra-compact powertrain and skateboard architecture packaging, there's a mammoth 2960mm wheelbase providing for S-Class levels of space within – and luxury, if you believe the man who spearheaded its development, Peter Rawlinson. Size-wise, the US sedan is European in its dimensions. The important takeaway is that while the Mercedes-Benz EQS looks otherworldly, the Air looks exotic. Designed by the same man who penned the current Mazda MX-5, as well as the original concepts for Volkswagen's Scirocco and Microbus reboots, the low-slung proportions are dramatic and hint at a modern take on the Citroën DS. Pictures don't really do the Air justice, other than suggesting it's a far larger car than it actually is. It won't be cheap: our range-topping Dream Edition Performance, tested in California, costs the equivalent £131,000. But for its considerable depth of engineering, surprising beauty and class-best range, those in the market for an electric Mercedes-Benz S-Class alternative might the outlay worth paying. And make an impact the Lucid Air does, because as well as producing comparable power to the Plaid, the newcomer can cover up to 520 miles on a single charge, which is more than 100 miles more than its rival on the same American EPA test cycle.Īs for Europe, Lucid is rumoured to shortly announce right-hand-drive production, which means the Air could be available to order in the UK before the end of 2022. Of course, all this neck-crunching is a necessary business when you need to make an impression alongside competition such as the Bugatti-humbling Tesla Model S Plaid.
Luckily, LeasePlan will soon have all four Lucid Air models available to customers with plenty of leasing options.Despite plenty of evidence on YouTube that the Air will drift until the cows come home, away from wide-open race tracks the battery-electric Lucid is altogether a different beast. All this may help explain why the Dream Edition, the first off, the assembly line with a price of €175,000 in Europe, is closed to new bookings. The 88.0 kWh battery on the entry-level Pure supplies just under 400km within 16 minutes’ fast charging, while the Dream Edition’s 113.0 kWh battery adds 450km of range in 20 minutes.
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The DreamDrive assistance suite features 32 sensors, including radar, camera, ultrasonic devices and a long-distance LIDAR to measure distance using laser beams, providing all-weather functionality and keeping the driver informed at all times. Beyond the tremendous acceleration and the ability to travel 400m in under 10 seconds, the Air doesn’t slow down as it gathers speed, perhaps due to the proprietary permanent magnet electric motor that spins up to 20,000 rpm with enviable, ballerina-like grace. Early previews indicate the Dream Edition performs superbly.
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Team Lucid recognises that taking on Tesla requires more than guts – drivers will rate the Air on how it handles.
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