As the American electric wars heat up, carmakers – both old and new – make their cloak-and-dagger moves like true Sun Tzu strategists, blending styling philosophy with powerful lower MSRP blows.
Tesla, for example, is trying to secure an even more significant victory with dropped MSRPs since it is already the top-selling EV automaker in the United States but now must convince everyone that it can remain sustainable in the long term. Legacy automakers like General Motors and Ford are left fighting for second place, trading blows from a distance between their ever-higher MSRPs for the popular full-size pickup trucks and still gaining market share with the more affordable options, like the Bolt EV and EUV siblings.
On the other hand, Tesla's throne and crown are the envy of various new kids on the block, like Rivian and Lucid Motors. The latter recently took a swing and delivered an image blow after its fully electric Air sedan brought the 2023 World Luxury Car of the Year award to America. But not everything is golden in the company's EV paradise as just a few days before the international ceremony, its CEO, Peter Rawlinson, had to deliver a painful message to its employees – the head honchos decided to cut the workforce by no less than 18%.
Even after last year, the automaker exceeded its production guidance of six to 7k vehicles by almost a couple hundred units. Alas, that's just a drop in a sea of Teslas, of course, and it will take more than a few Air versions to take the battle to the top. The sedan is excellent, as it comes with up to 1,200 horsepower, up to 516 EPA-estimated miles (830 km) of range on a single charge, needs about 12 minutes to charge for 200 miles (322 km), and can sprint to 60 mph (96 kph) in less than two seconds. But it's also stunningly expensive, at $138k for the Grand Touring and more than $107k or $87k for the Touring and Pure versions.
By comparison, the regular Tesla Model S with dual-motor AWD is currently $85k, while the tri-motor Plaid goes from $105k. And Elon Musk's company has shown a willingness to fight the current rising prices already. So, Lucid needs another asset before it can start offering more affordable models. Naturally, the logical course of action would be to have a crossover SUV ready. And that is what Lucid Gravity is for, also dubbed as their "next force of nature." In a few short words, the crossover that is slated for the official presentation sometime this year before it hits the market in 2024 (if there are no delays) will be like "supercar performance meets luxury SUV spaciousness."
Photo: Joao Kleber Amaral / autoevolution
Oddly enough, I am unsure if people noticed this, but regular minivans are a dying breed after the soccer mom and hockey dad jokes stopped being funny a while ago. Well, actually, some might say they are an endangered species because of the crossover, SUV, and truck assault on our senses. Alas, they seem to be making a sort of revenge comeback in the form of EV crossover SUVs. Just look at the Tesla Model X or Mercedes EQS SUV and dare say they are more like traditional SUVs rather than MPVs. See where we are going with this? Lucid has already shared some teaser images of their upcoming Gravity SUV, and the three-row vehicle looks more like a ritzy people hauler rather than something prepared for just about anything, on and off the beaten path of tarmac.
If you need extra confirmation, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators is always just around the corner to fulfill our dreams. And there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have a proper example. These bespoke renderings arrive courtesy of our virtual artist friend, Joao Kleber Amaral, who CGI-worked hard to bring the Lucid Gravity SUV to colorful life – in light bronze, starry blue, or a pristine satin white. And it was not that hard to do it, as Lucid mostly shared all the juicy details in the initial Gravity teasers that populate their 'future models' space.
The allure is definitely of a crossover MPV with zero emissions, but at least Lucid Gravity anchors itself into something of a general attraction that people have known for decades. That is opposed to the Tesla Model X, which remains a sight to behold even after being on the market since 2015 – and usually not for the most positive reasons. Sure, fans might say that Musk's crossover SUV compensates for the general ugliness with the single most fabulous feature of any car, aka the rear Falcon doors. So, it is going to be quite interesting to see how the EQS can try to obtain a seat at the flagship EV crossover SUV table while the Lucid Gravity directly battles the Tesla Model X for supremacy – especially considering that other rivals like the Audi Q8 e-tron have already tried that, and it was (mostly) in vain!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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