2023 Lucid Air Pure and Touring now available, range up to 425 miles.
The wait for a more affordable version of Lucid's Air sedan is finally over.
The California EV startup announced Tuesday that it is ready to begin delivering more affordable Pure and Touring grades of the Air.
The Air Touring, priced starting at $107,400, will begin deliveries this month, and the Air Pure, starting at $87,400, will begin deliveries by the end of the year. Already beginning deliveries are the Air Grand Touring starting at $154,000 and the Air Grand Touring Performance starting at $179,000.
The Air Pure will initially be offered only with dual-motor all-wheel drive, adding $5,500 to the base price. Single-motor, rear-wheel-drive powertrains will not be available until next year, with versions starting at $87,400, Lucido said. Dual-motor all-wheel drive will be standard on all other grades, and the Air Sapphire range-topper, due in 2023, will have tri-motor all-wheel drive.
The Air Pure has impressive numbers, especially for a base model. With dual motors, peak output is 480 hp, which equates to a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.8 seconds; the EPA estimates a range of 410 miles, which is longer than most electric sedans on the market. Lucid did not disclose the size of the battery, but said it consists of 18 modules, compared to 22 for the 112 kwh battery used in other models. Lucid also said that with fast charging, it is possible to add about 200 miles in just 15 minutes.
The Pure also comes standard with Lucid's DreamDrive suite of driver assistance features, including traffic sign recognition, driver attention monitor, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, traffic jam assist, and automatic parking (parallel and right angle). For more advanced driver assistance features, the DreamDrive Pro is also available with 32 additional sensors, including multiple cameras, radar units, ultrasonic sensors, and lidar units.
The Pure does not feature the expansive glass roof of other models, instead replacing it with a lightweight aluminum unit. The interior is a mix of synthetic leather and fabric, which differs from the more upscale offerings of the other models.
Upgrading to the Air Touring increases output to 620 hp and increases the EPA-estimated range to 425 miles. The Air Touring with increased power accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. According to Lucid, the Touring is the most efficient model, requiring only 1 kwh for every 4.62 miles driven. This is due in part to the fact that the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the Pure and Touring grades is a record low (for a production car) of 0.197.
The Touring is also equipped with an aluminum roof, but there is an option to replace it with a glass roof. This grade also features improved cabin materials, including full-grain nappa leather.
There is also good news for buyers with deep pockets waiting for the Air Sapphire. Lucid announced Tuesday that the 1,200-plus horsepower Air will travel from a standstill to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 100 mph in 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 205 mph. Thanks to trick torque vectoring made possible by dual motors on the rear axle, Lucid said the Sapphire prototype ran significantly faster laps on major race tracks than many hypercar models.