Lucid Air vs Tesla Model S | Where Lucid beats Tesla and where Tesla beats Lucid

I discuss Lucid Motors - the good and the bad. Where Lucid beats Tesla and where Tesla beats Lucid. I compare the Lucid Air vs Tesla Model S in terms of price, range, charging, performance, and overall impact on the EV market.
Lucid has 4 areas where it compares favorably to the competition. By competition, I mean Tesla since they are the benchmark in EVs.
First, Lucid leapfrogs Tesla’s best range by 115 miles. That’s right. The Tesla Model S Long Range Plus has a range of 402 miles. The Lucid Air has an EPA estimated range of 517 miles. They say that this is verified by independent testing so it’s not some theoretical wishful thinking number.
Second, Lucid beats Tesla in efficiency. Lucid says that their Air Grand Touring Model has a 113kWh battery. So if you do the math, 517 miles / 113 kWh, then you get 4.57 miles per kWh. For comparison, the Tesla Model S achieves 402 miles on a 100 kWh battery so its efficiency is 4.02 miles per kWh. I really thought that Tesla was at least a few years ahead of everyone in efficiency so this is the biggest shocker. The Audi E-Tron for instance has an efficiency of only 2.57 miles per kWh.
Where is this efficiency coming from? One, Lucid made the car even more aerodynamic than the Tesla Model S. The coefficient of drag for the Lucid Air is 0.21 vs the Tesla Model S’s 0.23.
Lucid also made their electric drive unit small and light. The drive units are 45% lighter and 59% more powerful than the closest competitor. Also, the motors can spin faster than the competition, Lucid claims up to 20000 rpm vs Tesla’s 18000 maximum rpm.
Removing heat is an important part of an electrical motor’s efficiency. Lucid has been able to reduce electrical losses by designing the motor unit with a cooling system integrated into the motor housing.
Lucid also integrated the transmission and differential into the electric motor to make it compact and more efficient.
Third aspect of Lucid’s innovation that struck me was the charging speed. Lucid built an ultra-high 900V electrical architecture and a sophisticated battery and thermal management system to derive the best in the world charging speeds. Lucid Air can receive 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes of charging and up to 20 miles in one minute of charge using a DC Fast Charger.
Tesla is currently using a 400 volt architecture. Tesla models can charge at up to 250kW versus the 300 KW for the Lucid.
Also for home charging, the Lucid can charge up to 80 miles of range per hour using its 19.2kW AC onboard charger vs 11.5kW AC charger for most Tesla models. There is a High Amp Option on the Model S which can charge at up to 17.2 KW of power. So all Teslas except for the High Amp Model S can charge at home at a rate of 32 miles per hour and the high amp at 52 miles per hour. Again, these are impressive wins for Lucid. It’s nice to be able to charge at home quicker when you need it.
Fourth, I think the performance of the Lucid Air is going to raise the standard set by Tesla. The fastest Model S can go from 0 to 60 in about 2.3 seconds vs the fastest Lcuid Air will need 2.5 seconds. However, the Lucid Air Dream Edition gets to the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds vs the fastest Model S’s time of 10.4 seconds. Tesla Model S tops out at 778 horsepower vs the Lucid Air at 1080 horses.
Both cars will embarrass many exotic cars and I don’t know who needs that kind of performance but you’ll have bragging rights with the Lucid Air at a drag strip.
So Lucid is the new EV champion that will dethrone Tesla in a year? Not quite.
Now, let’s talk about some of the negatives of the Lucid Air. The big one is the pricing. The Air Dream Edition, their top model, is $169,000. The $7500 tax credit applies but still over $160,000 for the one with 1080 hp and the under 10 seconds quarter mile speed. The next trim down is the Grand Touring and that has 800 HP with the 517 mile range for $139,000.
The Touring model which slots below the Grand Touring, will start at $95,000 and have 620 HP with 406 miles of range. The most affordable model, simply called Air, will start around $80,000 but no specifications were given.
For comparison, the top Tesla Model S Performance starts at $95,000 and the Long Range Plus with 402 miles of range starts at $75,000. The Lucid will cost significantly more than the Model S no matter how you look at it.
The most expensive Dream Edition will debut in spring of 2021 and the other trims will come later in 2021 and 2022.
In terms of looks, the Lucid Air looks fine. I like that it’s unique and doesn’t look like anything that’s out currently. The Air has an aerodynamic and curvy appearance that looks like a futuristic EV. I think the C pillar area looks a little too bulbous. The rear window curving out isn’t my favorite but it’s probably for improving aerodynamics.
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