![]() ![]() Vehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedanįront Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Lucid, for the most part, has avoided the temptation of stunt engineering and instead focused on creating a groundbreaking electric car with excellence rooted in performance and efficiency. ![]() Still, as a first stab at luxury EV motoring, the Lucid Air is a mighty impressive piece with many traits both car enthusiasts and technology aficionados will appreciate. The unfinished nature of the infotainment software combined with some body creaks and squeaks remind us that this is an early-build car from a brand-new automaker. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on the list to be added to the infotainment system but haven't yet been enabled. Lucid assures us that enhancements are on the way via over-the-air updates and says that as many as 17 updates have already been pushed out to customer cars since the Air's launch. The curved 34.0-inch display and onscreen graphics give the interface a high-end look, but the software occasionally lags, and accessing simple features sometimes requires wading through submenus. To match the Air's cutting-edge electric powertrain, Lucid has installed an equally impressive infotainment system, but its software is still a work in progress. Michael Simari | Car and Driver Unfinished Infotainment Cleverly located storage bins, including one hidden beneath the lower infotainment display screen, provide ample places to stash smaller items, and the Air's cargo capacity is adequate thanks to a deep well under the car's hood and a wide-mouthed, if somewhat awkwardly accessed, trunk. The front- and rear-seat passenger compartments are more spacious than expected, and interior materials are both premium and contemporary, with soft nappa-leather upholstery and textile-covered dash panels. The Air's design to a large degree is both aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful. The Air Grand Touring's 193-foot stop from 70 mph, though, is a disappointing performance, some 30 feet longer than that from the summer-tire-equipped Dream. Luckily, the Air's two regenerative braking modes-Standard and High-both are aggressive enough so that drivers can avoid touching the brakes the majority of the time, although some drivers might welcome a less regenerative coast mode. No matter the setting, the Air's brake pedal feels squishy through the initial bit of travel before firming up as the pads bite at the rotors. The dampers are firmed up in these settings for better handling, and the steering dials in a bit more heft as well as some road feel that's largely absent in the default Smooth mode. ![]() Swift and Sprint modes are where things get more interesting, with the latter unlocking the maximum horsepower. Smooth mode, the Air's most comfortable setting, sets the dampers to soak up bumps as much as possible and limits the horsepower to help preserve range. Three driving modes alter the car's suspension, steering, and powertrain to a surprising degree. But the Grand Touring nonetheless offers a compelling blend of comfort and sport. The 0.82 g of grip on the 19-inch all-season range tire also falls well short of those cars, whereas the previous Dream Edition we tested on the summer 21s did 0.92 g. It's not as sharp as the Porsche Taycan, and its width makes it feel less nimble than an Audi e-tron GT. The Air's road manners are refined and borderline athletic. Lucid Air is Quickest-Charging EV We've Tested.To Comparison-Shop EVs, Start by Looking at Range.2022 Car and Driver EV of the Year Contenders.Lucid's Dream, Analyzed with C/D's Testing: Twenty-one-inch wheels wearing summer tires are standard here, which contributes to the reduced range, but the additional power potential from the electric motors is also partially to blame. The $180,500 Grand Touring Performance entices with 1050 horsepower, but even with its slightly larger 118.0-kWh battery pack, its EPA range estimate is lower at 446 miles. (The optional 21-inch wheels reduce that to 469 miles.) In our 75-mph highway range test, our Grand Touring test car (on 19s) managed 410 miles-considerably less than the EPA number, but still the best result of any EV we've ever tested, and the first to top 400 miles. The special sauce is Lucid's innovative battery pack (112.0-kWh capacity in the Grand Touring) and its super-aerodynamic design, which allows it to achieve up to an estimated 516 miles per charge when equipped with the standard 19-inch wheels. Michael Simari | Car and Driver Impressive Rangeįor that six-figure outlay, you get a four-door EV sedan with a luxuriously trimmed cabin, 819 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and an EPA-estimated driving range that's far and away the most generous among EVs. ![]()
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