Lucid Motors won an important contest
Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson, a former Tesla engineer, notes that this impressive stat was achieved not with “an oversize battery pack,” but with “in-house E.V. technology,” which bodes well for the overall efficiency of the vehicles. Theoretically, less weight and less complicated engines mean less time in the shop.
Head-to-head with the top dog
Is the Lucid Air’s achievement in range enough to offset the advantages of a Tesla? One important factor for many people is cost. Tesla’s cheapest offering right now is just north of $43,000, and the company has been around long enough to have a bustling used market. Lucid, by contrast, offers the Air for $77,000. For cost-conscious consumers, this could be the limiting factor.
Other considerations may sway the jury as well. Tesla has had more time to develop several different electric models, including multiple versions of its iconic sedan, an SUV, and the upcoming pickup. Lucid is banking on just one type of car for the time being, which will be an automatic “no” for anyone who’s not in the market for a specific sedan.
Lucid is, of course, only in its infancy, and they’ve promised the public much more than just the Air. So perhaps this is an argument that should be revisited in a few years, once the company has had some time to catch up.
Plus, there’s the sexy startup Rivian to consider, which may dethrone everyone. And, if we’re being honest, we’re not quite ready to have this conversation in the U.S. until we’ve really buckled down and developed the infrastructure to support electric vehicles. After all, there’s no point in having 520 miles of range if you get to Yosemite and there isn’t a charging station.
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