Buying an all-electric vehicle isn’t for everyone. If you can’t charge it at home (preferably during peak hours) or at work, you’re stuck with expensive DC fast chargers that may or may not be available or work properly. Since a new Lucid Air isn’t as convenient as any commuting appliance, you probably value your time (and safety!). Queuing up for electrons may not be something you’ll want to do on a regular basis.
But an adventure into the realm of battery-powered vehicles might be worth it! This is especially true when the car in question is the Lucid Air Grand Touring.
Starting at $110,900, the 819-hp sedan is a serious contender for the Mercedes-Benz EQS, BMW i7, Porsche Taycan, and Tesla Model S. While powerful and fairly well-equipped in this Grand Touring trim, the model you’re about to see in the Out of Spec Motoring photo gallery and video below still comes with some pretty pricey options. There’s no way you can avoid spending a little more if you want your next ride to have more bells and whistles.
This particular unit, for example, has the $4,000 split-glass panoramic sunroof, the $7,500 stealth (blackout) package, and the $5,500 Santa Cruz Extended Leather interior. All of these extras make it a nearly $128,000 unit. Electric vehicleGrab the DreamDrive Pro, which adds the hardware needed for potential semi-autonomous driving capability, and your Air GT will have an MSRP of just over $130,000.
If you’re willing to consider a major downgrade, you could buy three brand-new rear-wheel-drive Model 3 Long Range Highlands. This EV qualifies for the federal EV tax credit, meaning you’d end up with about $25,000 to spare.
Photo: Out of Spec Motoring on YouTube
If you don't care about the smell of a new car and would rather avoid having to deal with depreciation without GAP insurance, then you might also consider buying two Taycan 4Ss and a base rear-wheel drive Taycan for about the same amount Lucid is asking for a shiny new Air GT.
But you'd still be downgrading. Yes, not even a used Porsche can be as good as this American-designed and built EV.
A lot of tricks up his sleeve
Why? Well, for starters, it has a 118-kWh battery built on a superior 900+V architecture, meaning the EV can make the most of DC fast chargers capable of delivering power at a rate of 350+ kW. While it can marshal a mere 819 horsepower (when the battery is at a proper charge), the Air GT has some of the most efficient engines on the market. Pair that with 19-inch wheels with aerodynamic plastic covers and low-rolling-resistance tires, and you should be enjoying a luxurious sedan with an EPA-rated range of 512 miles (824 kilometers).
The EV doesn’t have air suspension, but it does have adjustable shock absorbers. Along with the soundproofing, they do a great job. Keeping out noise and isolating those inside from the harshness of the road is not impossible for this 5,200-pound zero-emissions machine with a large frunk, a roomy trunk, and a sumptuous cabin.
But let's see what this expensive EV is really capable of in a real-world scenario. More precisely, we are talking about a journey that began north of California City, Kern County, California, at Honda's Proving Center.
Photo: Out of Spec Motoring on YouTube
The driver chose to put the Air GT in “Smooth” driving mode, which is similar to BMW’s Comfort mode or Rivian’s All-Purpose mode. It prioritizes both comfort and efficiency, but avoids compromises like turning off the air conditioning and leaving only the ventilation on to save electrons. The driver also used the seat ventilation and massage functions.
He set the regenerative braking to high to allow the EV to add some electrons to the battery and save brake pad thickness. The other option was standard, which is not as aggressive.
Making him prove his worth
The trip began around 10 a.m. with a charge level of 99 percent. The outside temperature was 86 F (30 C), which may seem like trivial information. However, it is important to remember that electric vehicle batteries are affected by very low or very high temperatures. The management system must keep the high-voltage energy storage unit at an ideal working temperature to protect the cell chemistry and ensure minimal long-term degradation, while also preparing the pack for a good charging session. This is not as easy as it may seem.
After about 180 miles of driving at speeds between 40 and 70 mph (64 and 113 km/h), the EV's onboard computer showed an efficiency of 4.0 miles per kWh. That's impressive, considering the outside temperature climbed to 94 F (34.4 C).
Photo: Out of Spec Motoring on YouTube
The driver then added an additional 164 miles to the odometer at an average speed of about 55 mph (89 km/h), which brought the battery’s state of charge to 50 percent. Based on custom calculations, he could still have driven over 260 miles (418 km) on that amount of energy, which is impressive. That’s what some EVs, like the Taycan 4S, can do with a fully charged battery!
The driver stopped for a well-earned break and a bite to eat almost exactly when the EV was at 25 percent charge. He didn’t stop to plug in. He needed to stretch a bit. This tells us something important: EVs with less than 500 miles of range shouldn’t be ignored. It’s generally recommended to take a short 10-15 minute break every couple of hours when you’re on the road. This way, you can ensure you stay alert and don’t hurt your back.
Avoid monopolizing DCFCs
So why not just stop by a DC fast charger for a quick top-up? It makes sense, especially with the aforementioned Taycan 4S, which can charge disturbingly fast thanks to its 800V battery pack.
But if you’re the type of person who wants to drive as much as possible before stopping to refuel/charge and recharge, the Air GT is one of the better choices. Of course, that’s only true if you don’t need to tow or haul anything heavy. Then you should check out the Chevy Silverado EV 4WT or RST. If your primary occupation is hauling heavy loads from one point to another, a conventional vehicle is still more convenient than a battery-powered ride. That’s just the truth, not our opinion.
The man continued his journey with the Lucid Air for about 40 miles at an average speed of about 70 mph (113 km/h). As he used the built-in navigation to select a charging station, the preconditioning function kicked in to prime the battery for an ideal high-powered refueling session.
He arrived at Electrify America headquarters with a six percent state of charge after driving exactly 400 miles (644 km). The outside temperature dropped to 76 F (24.4 C). The wind also began to pick up. The initial estimate was that he would have to wait about an hour and 40 minutes before he could leave. The charging rate was limited to about 140 kW at less than 10 percent state of charge, prompting him to move the car to another spot.
Photo: Out of Spec Motoring on YouTube
The other 350 kW distributor operated normally, meaning the Air GT began to suck electrons at a rate of over 325 kW. After passing the 40 percent charge threshold, the charge rate dropped to just over 200 kW.
The guy charged the EV to 90 percent, which means he spent about 50 minutes at the Electrify America station. Note that that 50 minutes includes the first charging session, which was a failure. Typically, you don’t (and shouldn’t) charge your EV’s battery past 80 percent when you’re on a road trip. It’s more time-efficient (and considerate) to stop, say, four times on a 1,000-mile trip and quickly recharge the battery rather than waiting for the cells to fill up completely with electrons.
But for the sake of this test a deeper charge was needed.
The driver continued on his route and allowed the electric vehicle to stretch its legs by frequently setting the speed limit to 80 mph (129 km/h).
After draining about 80 percent of the battery, he stopped for a second charging session at an Electrify America station. After waiting 45 minutes, the high-voltage energy storage unit was at 95 percent, meaning he was ready to continue on the final 250-mile leg of the road trip.
Photo: Out of Spec Motoring on YouTube
The ride was uneventful, but it is worth noting that the outside temperature dropped to 60°F (15.5°C).
Go all the way
The 990-mile trip ended just north of Golden, Colorado, in Arvada. The vehicle’s computer displayed a total energy consumption of 263 kWh (3.8 mi/kWh or 16.3 kWh/100 km) for the trip. That’s not as good as the Pure, which, under ideal conditions, needs just one kWh to travel five miles.
However, the result of this real-world experiment is impressive. The chosen route featured some changes in altitude, wind, and temperature. The Air GT succeeded and proved that an expensive, scratch-built EV can be just as good as its equivalent premium luxury model powered by an internal combustion engine. It only needed two long charging stops to cover such an impressive distance.
What this drive also proved is that the sedan also has great software, great seats, and tons of creature comforts. It could be ideal for a family of four looking to explore North America without leaving any emissions in the air. If the upcoming Gravity eSUV is as good, this company certainly has a bright (and maybe even profitable) future ahead of it. My only hope is that dynamic features like those found on the Air GT will soon be available on more affordable EVs. Not everyone can shell out six figures to enjoy what is arguably the best EV on the market today (if we ignore the $250,000 Sapphire). Its only downside is that it has to rely on a fast-charging infrastructure that has yet to mature.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to give Saudi-controlled Lucid a chance. As far as I’m concerned, it fully deserves our support. It has the potential to become as big as Tesla or bigger, especially since its Public Investment Fund (PIF) connections have already allowed it to start working with the iconic British brand Aston Martin.
