Test: Lucid Air - No more range worries at last

Founded in 2007 as Atieva, Lucid Motors has long dreamed of having its own cars. But that takes time and money. But in 2021, after around seven years of development, the time had finally come. The crew led by Peter Rawlinson, the former technical director at Tesla, and former Mazda head of design Derek Jenkins presented the elegant Lucid Air. The range now includes the luxury electric saloon in four variants and the Gravity SUV. The Lucid electric vehicles shine with power of up to 920 kW/1251 hp and ranges of almost 700 to almost 1000 kilometers and make conventional electric models look old. Nevertheless, Lucids are still rare - only just under 60 have been sold in Switzerland so far. It's a shame really, because this much in advance: our Lucid Air "Grand Touring" impressed in the test with comfort, space, power and, above all, range - and really makes a statement.

Really elegantly made: The classy and impeccably finished interior with lots of leather, attractive wood inlays and chrome details, which reflect modern luxury and also go well with the large, elegantly integrated screens, is pleasing. Somehow incongruous: the antiquated flashing noise - like a metronome that is not quite in time. On the other hand, setting the indicators is combined with another cool effect: In the cockpit's huge 34-inch info display, a camera image of the corresponding side of the vehicle appears and shows what is happening in the otherwise blind spot! A clever and practical feature in the Air, which scores points for its very intuitive operation even without many buttons. The large touchscreen in the center console doesn't require a long rummage through submenus: we treat ourselves to a massage without too much distraction. For some, the 20-way adjustable and heated front seats with ventilation and massage are a gimmick, for others, being kneaded is pure luxury.

Space like in a state limousine: There is plenty of space in the front and rear. In the back, we feel like we're in a state limousine, stretching our legs with ease. A touch more headroom in the rear would perhaps be appropriate, but this is due to the coupé-like roof line of the long saloon. Opening the trunk is a real eye-opener. This is because almost the entire rear, including the LED tail lights and side area, swings upwards. Unusual, but even wider items fit easily into the 627-liter trunk, which can be extended to 1552 liters by folding down the rear seats. If you still need more space in the Lucid Air, you can put your luggage in the 283-liter frunk in the front.

Agile and smooth on the road: The stately saloon with its adaptive chassis knows how to impress with its good handling. It is clearly more manageable than its dimensions (L x W x H: 4.98 x 1.94 x 1.42 meters) would suggest and drives in a very dignified manner. There are three driving modes to choose from, and "Smooth" fits perfectly and is exactly how it drives. The only thing the American doesn't cope with quite as well for a luxury saloon as the established German competition is minor bumps on country roads. Complaining on a very high level, because otherwise the comfort is superb. And of course we could do 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds in "Sprint" mode. But that's not even necessary: the all-wheel-drive vehicle delivers plenty of power with 1200 Nm and 611 kW/831 hp.

Almost endless range. Even if you call up the power from time to time, it's not even worth keeping an eye on the range of the electric runabout. It is enormous and hardly seems to dwindle; first from Zurich to Bern, then to the Jura and back via Basel, and the next day without charging still almost 300 kilometers remaining range and to Lucerne. What more could you want? The 112-kWh battery with 900-volt technology, which is safely housed in the floor to prevent accidents, officially delivers a range of 839 kilometers (WLTP). In the test, it was over 600 kilometers despite cool temperatures. The competition will have to dress warmly!

If you do need new juice, the Lucid Air "Grand Touring" could charge with up to 300 kW and thus draw power for almost 400 kilometers within around a quarter of an hour. In the test, with a less than ideal initial battery status and due to a lack of preconditioning, it was only around 100 kW, but still. Luxury, performance and range naturally come at a price. The cool American is available as a "Grand Air" from 135,000 francs. However, with slightly less power or as a rear-wheel drive model, the five-seater is available from as little as 91,000 francs.

Pros & cons
Lucid Air "Grand Touring"
+ Enormous amount of space
+ Solid interior, very good workmanship
+ Reach to the limit
- Annoying blinker noise
- somewhat wooden on short bumps