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With 1,050 hp at my disposal, the one sounds I hear are the whirr of electrical motors, the occasional thrum of tires over tough pavement, and the drumbeat of my racing coronary heart as I attempt to maintain tempo with the Stig on the twisty Skyline Drive within the San Francisco hills. Yeah, that Stig, racer and former “High Gear” hotshoe Ben Collins. The prodigious energy of the 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Efficiency helps me sustain with blasts of acceleration between corners, and I’m studying that I can sustain within the corners as nicely.
I’m reluctant at first. Throwing a automobile that weighs greater than two and a half tons into a good nook generally is a recipe for catastrophe, particularly on tires made for low rolling resistance. Nevertheless, with its low-set stance, the Air Grand Touring Efficiency feels serene. In every flip, the entrance finish appears notably nicely tied collectively because the nostril responds instantly to the quick-ratio 13:1 energy steering.
The Air simply delivers within the corners, and that builds my confidence. I can really feel the load shift as I enter every flip, and the physique lean with it, however then the automobile takes a set, the 245/35/R21 entrance and 265/35R21 Pirelli P Zero summer time tires dig in for traction, and the rattling factor simply carves a real line. No understeer, no oversteer, no bobbling, it simply goes the place I level it. With its full-size proportions, it might seemingly be rather a lot to deal with on a good autocross, however on mountain or canyon roads, it’s a champ.
Lucid doesn’t make use of loads of fancy chassis expertise to attain these outcomes. The Air makes use of a double wishbone entrance suspension and a multi-link impartial rear suspension with adaptive dampers in any respect 4 corners. No air springs, no lively anti-roll bars, no rear-axle steering. Simply well-tuned variations of fundamental suspension geometry and rack-mounted electric-assist energy steering.
The 2022 Lucid Air rides an aluminum skateboard platform and makes use of a pair of electrical motors that may make as much as 670 hp.
The 2022 Lucid Air rides an aluminum skateboard platform and makes use of a pair of electrical motors that may make as much as 670 hp.
The 2022 Lucid Air rides an aluminum skateboard platform and makes use of a pair of electrical motors that may make as much as 670 hp.
The platform helps, too. The 2022 Lucid Air sits on a skateboard structure with 22 battery modules set low into the ground. Every battery module is inflexible in its personal proper, and so they all come collectively to make the ground a stiff structural factor. Within the Efficiency model, they mix for 118 kwh of electrical vitality storage, whereas the usual Grand Touring has 112 kwh. That’s not usable house, both. Lucid makes use of the total functionality of its battery packs.
The battery additionally contributes considerably to the automobile’s 5,236-lb curb weight. Whereas that’s heavy for a sedan, it’s pretty mild for an EV. The comparably sized Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 weighs virtually 5,900 lb with about half the facility. To attain a few of these weight financial savings, Lucid makes the physique from aluminum and makes use of trick engineering to create smaller, lighter powertrain elements. Comprised of a rotor, stator, inverter, and differential, every electrical motor weighs 163 lb, 40 lower than the motors within the Tesla Mannequin S.
Every motor may produce as much as 670 hp, and the Air Grand Touring and Grand Touring Efficiency have one on every axle. Within the Efficiency model, they’re tuned to supply 1,050 hp, 61 lower than the Air Dream Edition that the corporate wished to maintain particular for its first 520 clients. It additionally makes 921 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Touring mannequin spins up “solely” 819 hp and 885 lb-ft.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Efficiency makes 1,050 hp and might hit 60 mph in simply 2.6 seconds.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Efficiency makes 1,050 hp and might hit 60 mph in simply 2.6 seconds.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Efficiency makes 1,050 hp and might hit 60 mph in simply 2.6 seconds.
Each present a rush of foolish energy. It’s onerous to inform them aside as a result of flooring the throttle creates such violent acceleration in every. The distinction? Zero to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds within the Efficiency and three.0 seconds in the usual Grand Touring. Each can attain 168 mph, and the Grand Touring Efficiency can cowl the quarter mile in 10.1 seconds in comparison with 10.7 seconds for the GT. These are supercar numbers.
The Air’s energy is a part of a brand new surge of electrical energy pioneered by Tesla and adopted by Rivian, Rimac, and others. The four-figure horsepower is the following step up from the already overpowered Hellcats, GT500s, AMGs, Ms which have taken the interior combustion engine to new highs.
In comparison with these vehicles, the Air’s model of electrical energy is each much less and extra thrilling. The bellow and grunt of churning pistons, which could be so intoxicating when tuned accurately, offers method to a faint whirr. Nevertheless, the immediacy of the facility and the relentlessness of the acceleration eclipse something with a gasoline engine outdoors of a Bugatti or a handful of different vehicles from boutique exotics.
Full horsepower is just accessible within the high Dash mode, whereas Easy and Swift modes are restricted to a measly 784 hp. I’m chasing the Stig in Dash mode with the brake regeneration set to Excessive relatively than customary. The mix permits for largely one-pedal driving that provides a component of finesse to the expertise. The loopy energy accessible at something close to full throttle means I can go as quick as I dare from nook to nook. The Excessive regen applies 0.3 g of braking power once I let off the throttle, which lets me gradual the automobile with out having to maneuver a foot to the brake pedal. It additionally lets me steadiness the automobile’s weight mid-corner with solely the throttle. I can add just a little upkeep throttle after turn-in and earlier than the apex to take care of momentum or I can let off and use regen to supply path braking to maintain the nostril down and assist carve the flip. Honing that management can solely assist enhance the dealing with.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring boasts agile dealing with to go together with its prodigious energy.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring boasts agile dealing with to go together with its prodigious energy.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring boasts agile dealing with to go together with its prodigious energy.
After all, four-figure horsepower means I do want to make use of the friction brakes when heading into some sharper corners. Making use of the brake makes use of simply the discs and calipers, so there isn’t any awkward mix of braking sorts. Lucid outfits the automobile with huge brakes—15.0-inch entrance rotors with 6-piston calipers and 14.8-inch rear rotors with 4-piston calipers—and so they do a great job in on a regular basis driving, however I’d like extra chew and urgency out of them when braking onerous from the excessive speeds the Air can so simply hit.
Even in Dash mode with the 21-inch wheels, the Air has a clean, supple experience. The dampers cycle by means of three ranges based mostly on drive mode, and so they all the time modify damping power to satisfy the situations. The steering additionally provides weight based mostly on mode.
After biking by means of the modes, I choose the heavier, extra secure steering weight and stiffer damping of Swift and Dash. Easy mode permits just a little an excessive amount of bounding over bumps on the freeway, and Easy’s lighter steering weight could make it fidgety at larger speeds.
Nevertheless, Easy is the mode of option to unlock the Air’s industry-leading effectivity.
With the usual 19s, the Air Grand Touring will get an EPA-rated vary of 516 miles, which interprets to an effectivity ranking of 4.6 miles per kwh. Select the elective 21s and people numbers drop to 469 miles and 4.1 mi/kwh. The figures for the Grand Touring Efficiency nonetheless outshine many of the competitors at 446 miles and three.8 mi/kwh.
After all, you’ll be able to’t attempt to match tempo with the Stig and obtain these numbers. Throughout my 85 miles within the Grand Touring Efficiency, I bought 2.5 mi/kwh. I then switched right into a Grand Touring and noticed that the earlier driver bought 3.6 mi/kwh over the identical distance, then went on to publish solely 2.4 mi/kwh over 36 miles of additionally spirited driving. Your mileage might differ, however make sure to go straightforward in case you don’t need to waste electrons.
The Air is a frontrunner when it’s time to replenish these electrons, too. It makes use of a 900-plus-volt electrical structure that permits it to recuperate 300 miles in 21 minutes on a 350-kw DC quick charger at a rate of up to 300 kw. It may additionally cost on a 240-volt outlet at 9.6 kw or at 19.2 kw with a 100-amp Lucid residence charging unit. As a plus, it presents bidirectional charging that permits it to cost different EVs.
The Lucid Air presents 4 California-themed inside designs, and high-end variations have a glass cover roof
The Lucid Air presents 4 California-themed inside designs, and high-end variations have a glass cover roof
The Lucid Air presents 4 California-themed inside designs, and high-end variations have a glass cover roof
Lucid wraps the Air’s energy and effectivity in a cocoon of luxurious and expertise. At 195.9 inches lengthy with a 116.9-inch wheelbase, it’s a full-size sedan with plentiful room for folks and packages. A sharply raked roofline makes entry and exit a headbanger’s ball, and never the music sort. Duck down sufficient, although, and also you enter a cabin with good head and leg room entrance and rear, and well-bolstered entrance seats. The rear seat has low seat bottoms, so thigh help suffers for consolation on longer journeys. An 18-pack module with 95 kwh—in upcoming Pure variations—will eradicate the modules from the rear ground to enhance rear seat consolation.
The trunk is deep and enormous. It has a middle passthrough for skis and presents 22.1 cubic toes of house, although it appears to be like extra like a drawer than a trunk as a result of the rear glass slopes down towards the top of the automobile. A relatively large and deep entrance trunk provides one other 10.0 cubic toes of cargo house to offer the Air the cupboard space of a hatchback.
The Lucid Air has 32.1 cubic toes of cargo house between its trunk and frunk.
The Lucid Air has 32.1 cubic toes of cargo house between its trunk and frunk.
The Lucid Air has 32.1 cubic toes of cargo house between its trunk and frunk.
A Silicon Valley-based firm, the Air embraces its California roots inside. Lucid presents 4 inside themes, all based mostly on the colours of California places at a selected time of day. They’re referred to as Santa Cruz, Tahoe, Mojave, and Mojave PurLuxe. All of them include a mix of leather-based, wooden, material, and artificial suede trim, aside from Mojave PurLuxe, which substitutes artificial leather-based for the actual factor. The colours work nicely collectively, and every sill plate has the identify of the inside theme and the latitude and longitude coordinates of that space. Lucid additionally contains its bear emblem (chosen as a result of the bear is California’s state animal) within the cabin.
The inside expertise presents itself in a financial institution of screens. Up high is the Lucid UX 34-inch Glass Cockpit that gives three screens, one to the left of the steering wheel for assorted automobile capabilities, a digital instrument cluster in entrance of the steering wheel, and a middle touchscreen for navigation and infotainment. Under it, a big vertical display rises with the middle stack to manage driving modes and type by means of all types of auto settings and information. The entire system could be up to date over the air, and Lucid is already engaged on an OTA replace that strikes the highest touchscreen’s residence, navigation, leisure, and telephone icons from the proper aspect of the display to the left the place they are going to be simpler to succeed in.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring and Grand Touring Efficiency include the identical gear. The one variations are the facility, value, and the choice of 19- or 21-inch wheels on the Grand Touring whereas the Efficiency will get solely 21s.
They each have a glass cover from the windshield to the again of the roof—interrupted by a crossbar on the center. There are power-adjustable heated and cooled entrance seats with therapeutic massage, leather-based upholstery, a 21-speaker Surreal audio system, and soft-close doorways. Lucid additionally makes its DreamDrive Professional driver-assist system customary. It makes use of cameras, radar, and lidar to supply computerized emergency braking, lively lane management, blind-spot screens, adaptive cruise management, and even computerized parking.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring can DC quick cost at as much as 300 kw to replenish its class-leading 516-mile vary.
The 2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring prices $155,500 together with vacation spot, whereas the Grand Touring Efficiency runs $181,400. Like most automakers today these costs have been hiked even earlier than the vehicles hit the market, on this case 12-13%, in accordance with Lucid.
That’s some huge cash to spend on any automobile, however the Air Grand Touring and Grand Touring Efficiency make the case for these costs with their ungodly energy, innovative expertise, roomy and opulent cabins, and industry-leading effectivity and vary. Heck, they’re even enjoyable selections for chasing the Stig by means of the California hills.
Lucid supplied airfare, lodging, and entry to a previously nameless TV icon for Motor Authority to carry you this firsthand report.
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