autoevolution
 

Lucid Air Sapphire Is a $249,000 Lesson on EV Performance and Press Embargoes

When Lucid shared the name of its top derivative for the Air, we rushed to publish it to be among the first ones to have the information. It was not necessary: nobody talked about it until 1 PM EDT. On the other hand, most websites had all the information and pictures of the new car a few minutes later. That was when Lucid lifted the embargo it imposed to release this info to the websites that agreed with it.
Lucid Air Sapphire 44 photos
Photo: Lucid
Lucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air SapphireLucid Air Sapphire
Ironically, the same embargo that allowed these media outlets to have time to prepare their stories was what prevented the Lucid tweet from getting more buzz. Perhaps the company was playing for two crowds: the ones that got the press material in advance and the ones that were not aware of it. We’ll never know. What we can tell our readers now is that the Sapphire is even more expensive than we could anticipate: it starts at $249,000.

Tesla said it would charge $250,000 for the Founders Edition of the second-generation Roadster. It even asked for $50,000 in refundable down payment. A similar price tag is not the only thing these cars have in common.

Lucid promises the Air Sapphire has a 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) time below 2 seconds and a “standing quarter mile in under 9 seconds.” Tesla said the Roadster would do the same, only with a much lighter car. However, there is a crucial difference between the Air Sapphire and the new Roadster: buyers may reserve the former on August 23, with deliveries happening in early 2023; the latter is still just a prototype. Tesla first presented it on November 16, 2017, at the same event where the Semi was introduced.

In fact, the EV maker also pledged the Model S Plaid would deliver equivalent numbers, but the truth is that it only achieved them with the rollout method. Lucid mocked Tesla by stating the Air Sapphire does what it promises with “no extra-cost equipment upgrades or protracted preconditioning routines.”

One thing that may disappoint those expecting incredible power is that it does not deliver 1,400 hp, as rumors suggested: Lucid gave it “over 1,200 hp," which is still enough for a top speed above 200 mph (320 kph). It also makes the Air Sapphire the most powerful sedan ever made, so there is little to complain about. To get there, the EV maker developed a new two-motor drive unit that we are sure to learn more about in the future. Lucid is famous for liking to explain its engineering achievements.

The concern Edmunds expressed with the small tires in the Lucid Air Dream Edition seems to be solved with the Sapphire. It uses specially-developed Michelin PS4S tires. They are 265/35 R20 at the front and 295/30 R21 in the rear. Inside the large wheels, “massive carbon ceramic disc brakes come as standard.” That also teases Tesla: the Model S Plaid is also notorious for losing braking power quickly, which has already led to some accidents with the EV.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)

Editor's note: Lucid got in touch with us and we made small adjustments to the text. One of them is that reservations start on August 23, while deliveries will begin in early 2023. We said sales would begin on August 23, which could give the idea that deliveries would follow soon after that. The text is now fixed.

press release
About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories