There are drag races, and there are DRAG RACES!!! One means racing 300-hp sedans down the quarter-mile, which isn't half bad if you're looking for an upgrade for your daily driver. At the same time, the other type of racing implies taking a 1,234-hp fully electric supercar and pitting it against a Tesla Model S Plaid and a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170.
While we're eagerly awaiting the race between these three titans of the tarmac to happen, today, we're solely focusing on the Lucid Air Sapphire's results on the 1/4-mile track. It's not racing anyone, but you don't want to miss the "one-car" show. It's nothing short of mind-blowingly spectacular if you're a 0-60 mph stat nerd.
Brooks Weisblat from the "DragTimes" YouTube channel got his hands on the dangerously fast Lucid Air Sapphire and decided to race it against a Dodge Demon SRT 170 and a Tesla Model S Plaid.
The Demon 170 is famous for producing 1,025 horsepower (1,039 ps) with 945 lb-ft or 1,281 Nm of torque. Dodge also brags the Demon can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 1.66 seconds, given the perfect conditions. The 1,020-hp Model S Plaid is no slouch, either, delivering 1,025 hp at peak power.
Returning to the Lucid Sapphire, it has four drive modes, out of which Track is the choice of the day because of its three sub-modes: Dragstrip, Hot Lap, and Endurance. For obvious purposes, Mr. Weisblat went with the Dragstrip mode for the 1/4-mile.
So let's meet our main attraction, the Lucid Air Sapphire. The manufacturer calls this nameplate the "world's first fully electric luxury super-sports sedan," and thanks to its twin rear-drive unit coupled with the single motor front-drive unit, this baby can deliver 1,234 hp or 1,251 ps and 1,430 lb-ft or 1,939 Nm of torque. Saying it's an absolute beast would be an understatement.
Photo: DragTimes
Its spec sheet says it should be able to go from 0 to 60 mph (96.5 kph) in 1.89 seconds, from 0 to 100 mph (161 kph) in 3.84 seconds, and it should run across the quarter-mile finish line in 8.95 seconds. It can hit a top speed of 205 mph or 330 kph.
Thanks to its 118.0 kWh battery pack, the Sapphire boasts an EPA-estimated range of 427 miles or 687 kilometers on a single charge, with a "fuel" efficiency of 3.61 miles per kWh.
Now, let's finally see how this EV performed down the 1/4-mile. During the first attempt, Brooks pulled off 1.92 seconds from 0 to 60 and 8.93 seconds at 154.17 mph or 248.11 kph for the 1/4-mile stretch. If you take the 1-ft rollout into account, the 0 to 60 was 1.77 seconds. Then, he decided to go for another run, but it was more of a repeat of round number one.
How much will 0-60 in 1.77 seconds run you for? Before nonsense like tax, title, registration, and whatnot, a fully equipped Sapphire starts at $250,000. If you want a cheaper Lucid, the 430-hp Air Pure begins at roughly $70,000, has an estimated range of 410 miles or 660 km, and can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, according to Lucid.
Next, the 620-hp Air Touring starts at $78,000 and goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds with an EPA estimated range of 411 miles or 661.4 kilometers. Lastly, the 819-hp Air Grand Touring is $109,900, can hit 60 in 3 seconds flat, and can drive up to 485 miles or 780.5 km.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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