LUCID AIR

American EV start-up enlists Tesla Model S mastermind to infiltrate the luxury order

- JOHN MAHONEY

TESTED 20.4.22, LOS ANGELES, US ON SALE 2023 (EST)

TESTER ’S NOTE

Despite plenty of evidence on YouTube that the Air will drift until the cows come home, it’s altogether a different beast away from wide-open race tracks. Blisteringly fast? Yes. Playful? Not at all. JM

Real physical pain is never more than just a toe curl away in the electric super-saloons of today, and the 1111bhp Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance is no exception.

With the car meting out 1025lb-ft of torque from its two electric motors, your tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints don’t stand much chance against the tidal wave of force that sends them from 0-60mph in 2.4sec.

Of course, all of this is a necessary business when a car needs to make an impression alongside competition such as the Bugatti-humbling Tesla Model S Plaid. And make an impact the Air does, because, in addition to producing comparable power to that Tesla, the newcomer can cover up to 520 miles on each charge, which is over 100 miles more than its rival on the same American EPA test.

As for Europe, it is rumoured Lucid will soon announce right-hand-drive production, so it could be available to order in the UK by the end of 2022.

It won’t be cheap: our range-topping car, tested in California, costs the equivalent £131,000. But for its considerable depth of engineering, surprising beauty and class-leading range, those who desire an electric Mercedes-Benz S-Class alternative might find the outlay worth paying.