Photo: Lucid Motors
Tesla is leading the charge in the EV sector in more ways than anyone could have imagined in just a couple of years. And, more importantly, they're doing it well, especially since Elon Musk gave them some breathing space and started playing with his new X-rated (Twitter) toy.
While the third quarter results fell short of analyst expectations due to production issues, Tesla still sold 435k units between July and September. Additionally, the Tesla Model Y reigns supreme in the US car market's EV sector and is heading toward becoming the best-selling new car overall in Europe.
Oh, and not to mention that the pricing wars are starting to take a toll on the competition, and after Tesla just introduced the all-new Model Y RWD version to America, it was followed by a chain reaction of lower-priced rivals. Now, the strategy seems to pay off for customers who want something more elegant, like a Tesla Model S or even a Lucid Air.
Speaking of the latter, the Newark, California-based startup is starting to feel more and more like a fully-fledged automaker as they recently opened their second factory in Saudi Arabia at the end of September. Lucid is starting a new manufacturing chapter in the Middle East and paid homage to their clients there with the ultra-exclusive Air 'Kingdom Dream Edition,' a limited-edition variant offered in just 93 units until the end of the year.
Of course, they are also all hands on deck for the upcoming introduction of their second model series, the Gravity SUV, in early 2024, but before that, they also need to pay attention to Tesla's pricing wars. Since they can also compete with the Tesla Model S for now, let's talk about the latter for a moment. Currently, the only two available versions in America are the dual-motor AWD, starting at $74,990 with 405 miles of range and zero to 60 mph (96 kph) in 3.1 seconds, along with the tri-motor AWD Plaid ($89,990) rocking 396 miles of range, a 200-mph (322 kph) top speed and a time of 1.99s to 60 mph.
Meanwhile, Lucid just introduced the new $77,400 Air Pure RWD, which is said to be sporty and elegant while also "offering an unsurpassed combination of range, driver-oriented performance, and design." The new version is already up for ordering and is touted as "the most aerodynamic car currently in production." Right off the bat, we can see it's still marginally more expensive than the base Model S and offers RWD as opposed to dual-motor AWD.
However, the estimated range is also slightly higher – up to 410 miles on a single charge, which equates to 660 km, as opposed to the Model S packing up to 405 miles (652 km). It's a marginal difference, of course, and more important is the fast charge time – in 12 minutes, it can recoup up to 150 miles (241 km) of range. The Air Pure RWD's standard perks include Apple CarPlay, the 34-inch curved Glass Cockpit display, heated front seats, Micro Lens Array LED headlights, the DreamDrive advanced driver assistance systems, and the Lucid UX digital environment, plus regular over-the-air software updates, among others.
By the way, the Air Pure AWD version with a dual-motor powertrain remains availabel for $5k more. The other options include the Air Touring from $95k, Grand Touring from $125,600, and the mighty Air Sapphire - "fully equipped" at a mind-boggling $249k!
Oh, and not to mention that the pricing wars are starting to take a toll on the competition, and after Tesla just introduced the all-new Model Y RWD version to America, it was followed by a chain reaction of lower-priced rivals. Now, the strategy seems to pay off for customers who want something more elegant, like a Tesla Model S or even a Lucid Air.
Speaking of the latter, the Newark, California-based startup is starting to feel more and more like a fully-fledged automaker as they recently opened their second factory in Saudi Arabia at the end of September. Lucid is starting a new manufacturing chapter in the Middle East and paid homage to their clients there with the ultra-exclusive Air 'Kingdom Dream Edition,' a limited-edition variant offered in just 93 units until the end of the year.
Of course, they are also all hands on deck for the upcoming introduction of their second model series, the Gravity SUV, in early 2024, but before that, they also need to pay attention to Tesla's pricing wars. Since they can also compete with the Tesla Model S for now, let's talk about the latter for a moment. Currently, the only two available versions in America are the dual-motor AWD, starting at $74,990 with 405 miles of range and zero to 60 mph (96 kph) in 3.1 seconds, along with the tri-motor AWD Plaid ($89,990) rocking 396 miles of range, a 200-mph (322 kph) top speed and a time of 1.99s to 60 mph.
Meanwhile, Lucid just introduced the new $77,400 Air Pure RWD, which is said to be sporty and elegant while also "offering an unsurpassed combination of range, driver-oriented performance, and design." The new version is already up for ordering and is touted as "the most aerodynamic car currently in production." Right off the bat, we can see it's still marginally more expensive than the base Model S and offers RWD as opposed to dual-motor AWD.
However, the estimated range is also slightly higher – up to 410 miles on a single charge, which equates to 660 km, as opposed to the Model S packing up to 405 miles (652 km). It's a marginal difference, of course, and more important is the fast charge time – in 12 minutes, it can recoup up to 150 miles (241 km) of range. The Air Pure RWD's standard perks include Apple CarPlay, the 34-inch curved Glass Cockpit display, heated front seats, Micro Lens Array LED headlights, the DreamDrive advanced driver assistance systems, and the Lucid UX digital environment, plus regular over-the-air software updates, among others.
By the way, the Air Pure AWD version with a dual-motor powertrain remains availabel for $5k more. The other options include the Air Touring from $95k, Grand Touring from $125,600, and the mighty Air Sapphire - "fully equipped" at a mind-boggling $249k!
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