Is Lucid a Luxury Car?
Find the best Lucid luxury car for you with our guide.
Written by Cameron Thiessen
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Lucid Motors is a luxury electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer that makes the longest-range EVs available.
Run by Peter Rawlinson, ex-
Tesla
employee and chief engineer of the original Tesla Model S
, Lucid currently sells only one vehicle: the 2022 Lucid Air. Lucid is planning to release its EV SUV, currently called “Project Gravity,” in 2024. The 2022 Lucid Air sold out a long time ago and gained enough recognition to win the 2022 Motor Trend Car of the Year. A 2023 Lucid Air is on its way, but pricing information has yet to be released.
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Is Lucid a luxury car?
Yes! Lucid is a particularly special luxury car brand.
In many ways, it aims to offer vehicles on par with—or even a step up in luxury and performance from—Tesla. Since being named Car of the Year, Lucid is off to a strong start.
What makes a luxury car?
It’s rarely one thing that defines what makes a luxury car. Some cars earn their notoriety by offering unparalleled performance and exciting, sporty handling, while others earn it by excelling at delivering a smooth ride with a high-end interior.
On the other hand, some luxury brands earn their reputation by equipping their vehicles with state-of-the-art technology. This is how Tesla got its stripes, and Lucid aims to pick up where Tesla has seemingly plateaued in recent years.
While there’s no real rubric for what makes a luxury car manufacturer “luxury,” most upscale vehicles have the following characteristics:
- Performance features: Lucid’s electric drivetrains offer some of the best performance specs in automotive history
- Comfort features:The Lucid Air’s “Executive” rear reclining seats are a perfect example
- Technology features: Lucid offers innovative infotainment systems and self-driving capabilities
- Style features: Lucid is touted for its iconic exterior design and premium interior materials
Sure, you can always get from point A to point B with a common mass-produced car, but you simply will not find one that does what the Lucid Air can do. Not only does it present top EV performance specs, but the Lucid Air also delivers top-level luxury in the forms of comfort features and interior tech.
Is Lucid a good luxury brand?
Lucid’s only model released thus far won the title of 2022 Motor Trend Car of the Year. However, production has slowed in recent years due to supply chain issues—the same reasons it’s been so hard to get a new EV of any sort. Time will tell if Lucid will be able to keep up with the impressive pace they’ve set for themselves.
For now, if you can make it to the top of the waitlist for a 2023 model or miraculously find an available used model, the Lucid Air measures up to expectations, despite its daunting price. The 2022 Lucid Air’s MSRP was $87,400.
If we’re talking luxury, Lucid has proven to excel in style, performance, and cabin comfort. Its styling is reminiscent of some of our favorite sci-fi cars, and the specs reflect absolutely ridiculous acceleration times (zero to 60 in 2.6 seconds).
Despite not having the most luxurious-looking cabin materials, there’s plenty of space for both driver and passengers, and the seating is properly comfy and supportive.
The best Lucid luxury cars
Lucid only offers one model so far: an electric sedan called the Lucid Air. It was first released for the 2021 model year. However, Lucid’s “Project Gravity” all-electric luxury SUV is expected to debut in 2024.
Lucid Air
Before the 2022 Air sold out, the starting price for a 2022 Lucid Air Pure, the base model,was $87,400. The top-level Dream Edition started at $169,000, with the Touring ($107,400) and Grand Touring ($154,000) trims rounding out the lineup.
There’s already a long waitlist for the 2023 model, and a new top trim has been added.
The Touring Model will likely cost about $20,000 more than the Pure again, while the Grand Touring will likely jump up another thirty to forty grand. The Grand Touring Performance trim will likely top out higher than $180,000.
No one knows how much the awaited new Sapphire versions of the Lucid Air will cost, but Car and Driver expects it to be in the quarter-million range.
Standard features include:
- Retractable infotainment touchscreen
- Alexa assistant
- Navigation system
- Voice-recognition software
- AI-learning music and climate settings
- PureLuxe upholstery
- 19-inch wheels
- 480-horsepower single AC motor
- Robust driver-assistance suite with 32 exterior sensors for lane assist, advanced cruise control, parking aids, and blind-spot monitoring
Moving up to a Touring model adds a second AC motor for a combined 620 horsepower, plus all-wheel drive. This trim also gets Nappa leather upholstery, upgraded 20-inch wheels, and a glass canopy sunroof.
Upgrading to the Grand Touring gets you a more powerful 800-horsepower dual AC motor. With the regular 19-inch wheels, the Grand Touring trim gets 516 milesof range. It’s also available with 21-inch wheels, but you sacrifice nearly 50 miles of range with this change.
The 2022 Lucid Air Dream Range Edition and Dream Performance Edition were limited-production options. The Dream Performance Edition gets a ridiculous 1,111 horsepower from its upgraded engines, while the 933-horsepower Dream Range Edition gets an industry-leading 520 miles of range on a single charge.
Speaking of charging, Lucid batteries take 13 hours to power up on a 240V charger, but Lucid Airs also come with three years of free charging at Electrify America fast charging stations. Using these or other DC fast chargers, you can charge 300 miles of range in approximately 22 minutes, according to Lucid.
Key specs | 2022 Lucid Air |
|---|---|
Engine | 480-hp single AC motor or 620- to 1,111-hp dual AC motors |
Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive (standard) or all-wheel drive (optional) |
0 to 60 | 2.6 seconds (Dream Performance) to 4.0 seconds (Pure) |
EPA fuel economy (MPGe) | 130 city/132 highway (Touring/Grand Touring with 19-inch wheels) |
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Lucid Project Gravity
Lucid’s luxury electric SUV project is scheduled to arrive in 2024, and the company is advertising that it will be just as much of a game changer in this segment as its sedan has been.
Pricing information has yet to be released, but Car and Driver expects the range to start around $90,000.
Lucid says that Project Gravity will seat up to seven full-size passengers. Promotional materials focus on the Lucid Electric Advanced Platform’s miniaturization of electric powertrain components to free up space and allow for lighter overall vehicle weight.
If the Lucid Air is a sign of things to come, Project Gravity may set the standard for the next generation of top-shelf electrified adventure and utility vehicles.
How to save on Lucid insurance with Jerry
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Is Lucid more luxurious than Tesla?
At this point, Lucid is setting itself up to directly compete with Tesla for domination of the luxury EV industry. While a base-level Tesla Model 3 is significantly cheaper than the Lucid Air, the Air undercuts the price of all other Tesla models.
Of course, price doesn’t define luxury. In terms of upscale interiors, neither company offers the most impressive materials or designs. But when all is said and done, the Lucid Air does offer more prestigious options than the top-trim Tesla models.
Are Lucid cars expensive?
Yes! $90,000 is a lot of money to spend on a vehicle, even on a new EV. Not only that, because these cars are still very rare, parts are hard to source and expensive to repair or replace, leading to pricey maintenance and insurance costs.
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