The North American Charging Standard (NACS, formerly known as Tesla's charging port) is on track to become the de facto EV inlet for the North American market. The CCS Combo 1's days are numbered. Lucid joining the party signals that the VW Group and Stellantis should soon do the same. Here's what Peter Rawlinson's Saudi-controlled company plans on doing in the meantime.
Today, Lucid sells only one all-electric vehicle – the Air sedan. Very soon, it will debut its first SUV. The official unveiling is scheduled for November 16. The NACS adoption announcement comes right before that all-important event, which should provide some peace of mind for investors who are after the remaining 39.5% of the company's publicly traded shares and its EVs.
Lucid may lag behind Tesla and Rivian in terms of sales, but the company has strong fundamentals. The technology is excellent, the innovation in the zero-emission space helped the brand gain notoriety, and the quality of the cabin materials is on par with some German rivals.
Unfortunately, current economic conditions and new buyer preferences for vehicles that provide a higher driving position didn't help Lucid. It struggled to find customers, especially as federal, state, and local incentives helped cheaper cars become even more attractive.
Founder and CEO of Lucid Motors, Peter Rawlinson, said a few months ago that the NACS connector isn't that important. He called it a "piece of plastic with some copper in it." The executive claimed the plug wasn't that important. What matters most is the ultra-high voltage. Given that the Air is the fastest-charging EV on the market, it makes sense for the company's CEO to prioritize high-power charging.
Photo: Lucid
Rawlinson spent some time at Tesla as Chief Engineer for the Model S, but Elon Musk said publicly that he never held that position. Some think there might still be some grudge left there.
Currently, Tesla's V3 Superchargers aren't capable of properly charging EVs boasting 800V+ architectures. But the world's most valuable automaker is making changes. The V4 pedestals should be capable of dispensing power at a rate of 350 kW or more as soon as they are allowed to.
The major advantage of the NACS port right now is that it's associated with the Supercharger network, which benefits from a positive image. Dieselgate-born and VW-owned Electrify America didn't prioritize dependability, allowing Tesla to just run with it.
That's why Lucid's EVs will be fitted with the NACS connector from 2025, while existing owners will have to use an adapter or a Magic Dock-equipped stall. Tesla takes care of the Supercharger network, a smart move that will help it generate more revenue until other initiatives like the American version of Ionity can catch up.
Photo: Tesla Charging on Twitter
Rawlinson said that Lucid believes in a "unified charging standard, backed by the nationwide rollout of future-ready higher-voltage charging stations," indicating that fast charging remains a priority and Tesla might be able to deliver in this department.
Lucid has a plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, and a brand-new manufacturing facility (AMP-2) in KAEC, Saudi Arabia. The company has also partnered with Aston Martin. The posh British brand will use the company's tech to make its own all-electric cars.
Finally, Lucid also plans to bring forward more affordable EVs that should compete with the likes of Tesla Model Y and Model 3. The world of all-electric mobility looks better and better. The only thing we need now is cheaper battery packs and more trained technicians.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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