New Lucid Air with 520-mile range enters production
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The new Tesla rival, Lucid, has finally gone into production with its EV Air saloon.
This ground-breaking EV pushes the boundaries of what electric cars are capable of. The saloon boasts a hefty range of 520 miles that beats anything a Tesla can currently offer by more than 100 miles.
The Dream Edition derivative will cost nearly $170,000 (£124,000) in the US. Its huge 1065bhp allows it to reach 60mph, from a standstill, in just 2.5 seconds. It's so quick that the Dream Edition can also travel a quarter of a mile in under 10 seconds – which makes it the first electric saloon to achieve this feat.
The saloon will be launching in the US first, with orders taking place in select European countries. There hasn’t been a date put in place for a UK release yet, although you can reserve a place online with a refundable £770 deposit.
The Lucid Air is not only being dubbed ‘the most aero-dynamic luxury car in the world’ it has also been revered as ‘the fastest charging electric vehicle ever offered’ by Lucid themselves.
Each derivative of the Air should be able to recharge 300 miles worth of range in just 20 minutes when using a DC fast charger.
The Air's excellent aerodynamics are possible because of the car's flat and curved shape. The interior styling is very minimalist and contemporary with thin pillars and a sloping glass roof, to help reflect the vehicle’s light and airy feel.
Technology on the Air includes a 34-inch curved screen with 5k quality and a ‘pilot panel’ touchscreen that gives the driver control over the saloon's various systems.
An Amazon partnership means that there is integrated Alexa voice-recognition software.
Lucid's innovative architecture helps to make this EV possible. Lucid’s own Electric Advanced Platform (LEAP) and an Air suspension that uses regenerative valve technology, provides the Air with a seamless ride quality.
32 sensors make up Lucid’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), which means that it can achieve level 2 and 3 autonomous functionality.
The new Lucid Air will be manufactured at a multi-million dollar factory in Arizona alongside a new SUV which will join the range in the coming years.