The Air is the first model from the startup automaker Lucid Motors. Along with swept-back styling which gives it dashing good looks, it has a long driving range and is as roomy as a stately limousine. In many ways, we were quite impressed with this all-electric model, thanks to its super-quick acceleration, agile handling—no mean feat, considering this car’s large size and heft—and luxurious cabin. But we’re not fans of its perplexing controls, obstructed outward visibility, and excessive wind noise. Plus, buying a car from a manufacturer with no history is a giant leap of faith in terms of service and reliability.
With over 600 horsepower and all-wheel drive, the Air we tested is deceivingly fast, with a seemingly never-ending flow of power. Yet, the speed is gathered in a measured way rather than making occupants feel like they were shot out of a cannon, as we’ve encountered with some high-power electric vehicles we’ve tested. By the numbers it’s speedier than you’ll ever need—the Touring model sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in a crazy quick 3.5 seconds.
The EPA-estimated driving range is an impressive 384 miles from its 92-kilowatt-hour battery. However, we saw 344 miles in our own 70-mph highway range test. Thanks to its 700-volt architecture, it’s capable of charging at 250 kW in public DC fast-charging places. Home charging is also fairly rapid, thanks to the 19 kW on-board charger that enables about 70 miles of range gained per hour of charging.
Lucid certainly did its homework in making the Air zip, but it also didn’t neglect the brakes. Our car needed only 120 feet to stop from 60 mph on dry pavement, which is in sports car territory. However, its regenerative braking system, which channels braking and coasting energy back to the battery, isn’t all that well sorted out. It takes extra concentration to be smooth when stepping off the accelerator pedal in certain regen-braking modes, and the ability to customize the deceleration levels is limited.
Handling is nimble, belying the Air’s size and weight. The car turns into corners with enthusiasm and hardly any body roll. There’s even some genuine steering feedback. The Air was capable and playful when driven to its limits on our track and it posted (again!) sports car levels of speed through our avoidance maneuver, at 57.5 mph. Keep in mind, though, that our test car came with especially grippy summer tires.
The ride is very well composed, making the Air feel almost like it’s riding on air. It falls slightly short of being a class standard, though, due to some undue stiffness at lower urban speeds. Otherwise, it delivers a luxurious feel of a gentle cruiser.
All is not perfect when it comes to cabin calmness, however. We noticed an overly pronounced electric whine at low speeds from the dual motors, up to about 30 mph. Wind noise on the highway is also not sufficiently suppressed, which is unbefitting the Air’s six-figure price tag for our version.
The cabin looks dazzling, and most of the touch surfaces ooze of fine quality. Creative details include applications of open-pore wood trim and gorgeous leather used throughout. We like the soft suede on the headliner, roof pillars, and sun visors, and some funky textures like the denim-like material on the doors and lower dash. However, we did notice a fair amount of rough edges, thinly padded elbow rests, and cheap-feeling plastic trim, and steering wheel and climate buttons. It’s nice, but not quite six-figure nice.
The front seats are firm and mostly comfortable, though some drivers wished for more side support. Too bad getting into these seats is such a chore. Gaining access requires some ducking due to the car's low ride height, relatively tall sill, and low roof height. And we were troubled by the long, wide front pillars and low roof, which made it very challenging for the driver to see around the blind spots safely while merging and turning at intersections, making it difficult to see oncoming cars and pedestrians. The rear seat is very comfortable, offering generous room, great upper body support, and is nicely contoured. Plus, the rear doors open almost 90 degrees, which greatly aids access.
But the Lucid’s controls are a mess. They are about as far from user-friendly as we've seen lately. Having to adjust the steering wheel and side mirrors through the infotainment touchscreen, for example, is a prolonged driver distraction and a total nuisance. Other frustrations include the fact that some EV-specific information is buried within menus on the touchscreen, and it’s annoying that some steering-wheel controls aren’t labeled. At least adjusting the air vents is done manually and not through a touchscreen (we’re looking at you, Tesla and Rivian).
Lucid’s “DreamDrive” suite of active safety and driver assistance features is comprehensive. The Air comes standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, front and rear cross traffic warning with emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Our vehicle also came with the optional “DreamDrive Pro” package that featured lane centering assistance, and a surround view camera with blind spot display.