Regardless of some teething issues, the Lucid Air has to this point wowed as the primary product of a startup carmaker. Truly, the qualifier isn’t actually vital: the Air simply wows, interval, whether or not you’re speaking about driving the factor or studying about its really spectacular engineering.
Downside is, having a one-car lineup consisting of a sedan will not be precisely a recipe for fulfillment in 2023. An SUV is a should, and the Lucid Gravity is that SUV, bringing all that spectacular electrical motor and battery engineering to a extra family- and market-friendly physique model.
It must be mentioned, although, that “SUV” is kind of a relative time period right here. Very like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Mustang Mach-E, the Lucid Gravity is a segment-bending kind of car. In particular person, it’s notably decrease than the standard three-row SUV, with the highest of the liftgate falling properly under this 6-foot-3 editor’s chin. Its brief hood and lengthy physique are greater than a bit evocative of a, he whispers, minivan. Actually, the best way the third-row disappears right into a deep cavity behind it’s precisely what you’d discover in a minivan. Or a Ford Flex. Truly, that’s a good comparability for the Gravity’s physique model: it’s kind of a cross between a Flex and a Mercedes R-Class with an obtainable adjustable air suspension that may increase it increased off the bottom than both. Like I ship, segment-bending.
Now, not one of the previous paragraph must be thought of a nasty factor. If you would like a macho, off-roading EV, Rivian exists. The Lucid Gravity is a extra wise household car, with extra household pleasant house and flexibility than you’d get within the current assortment of luxurious EVs (the EQS SUV is LOL by comparability). It additionally packs all that inside house right into a a lot smaller exterior footprint than a comparably spacious gas-powered SUV (it’s 6 inches shorter than a Mercedes GLS). The second-row slides by an enormous diploma and will get handled to fold-down tables full with pill holders. We didn’t get an opportunity to take a seat within the third row of this very pre-production Gravity, however the house between the far-sliding second row and the third row was ample, as was the house between seat backside and footwell. This can be a well-packaged car, a testomony to the benefits of EV structure basically and Lucid’s extraordinarily compact componentry.
Past having extra cargo house behind the raised third row than most three-row SUVs (this factor goes to smoke my Baggage Check), the Gravity’s second row folds completely flat permitting for 104 cubic ft of house. An 8.5-foot-long surfboard can match diagonally, whereas a 7-foot one can match lengthwise. Hey, Lucid is a really California firm with the state’s bear emblem proudly positioned inside every of the 20-plus-inch wheels – surfboard fitment is vital, bra. And must you want a helpful place to hang around submit waves, the 8.1-cubic-foot frunk provides an obtainable fold-up cushion to rework the house into a snug, if lofty bench. Given the frunk’s form, I’m much less sure about its usefulness for cargo – it’s positively much less helpful than the Air’s frunk. And for reference the Gravity’s whole cargo house with that frunk involves 112 cubic ft.
As for the remainder of the inside, it’s sufficient of a “wow” second to make you surprise why I’ve been happening a lot about surfboards and frunks. It’s a transparent evolution of what you’ll discover within the Air, but it surely’s additionally significantly upgraded, making us ponder whether potential patrons of the Air may really feel a bit shortchanged. The present piece is a 34-inch curved, uninterrupted OLED show that appears sensational from each angle. There are not any cutlines between screens, however the areas to the left and proper of the instrument space are contact delicate. As within the Air, the right-side infotainment space works in live performance with a bigger display screen under. Quite than the Air’s portrait orientation, although, the Gravity’s is a 12.6-inch tablet-like panorama orientation. There are bodily controls under that display screen, together with these for quantity, temperature, fan velocity and two customizable buttons for no matter you’d like.
One other key improve over the Air is the steering wheel: It’s a squircle with a flat prime and backside, which is to make sure you can see your entire instrument panel past. It looks as if it satisfies that aim. The squircle additionally has new touchpads on it, changing the Air’s lovely-if-functionally-limited corrugated rollers. They weren’t purposeful on this pre-production car, however one is supposed to manage the instrument panel and the opposite the infotainment screens, with swiping and sliding performance much like what you’d discover on an Apple TV distant. Mercedes tried one thing related, however its pads have been so small that they may very well be troublesome to make use of. This has extra promise.
When it comes to old style inside performance, the middle console is evocative of the intelligent versatility discovered within the Ram 1500 and previous-generation Honda Civic. Beneath a beautiful glass sliding cowl is a deep bin with a sliding tray housing two wi-fi telephone chargers (a rarity), cupholders and removeable sub-bins. Once more, the Gravity inside is a household pleasant, but it surely additionally seems to be terrific, each when it comes to design and the supplies used. It seems to be and appears like the longer term, however in a method that doesn’t lose observe of how individuals truly use automobiles right this moment.
Now, in case you’re questioning why it’s taking so lengthy to get to all the electrical car particulars, it’s as a result of the Gravity is mainly the identical beneath because the Air. Most specs are additionally nonetheless TBA. It shares the identical modular structure and the identical motors aside from variations in gearing to account for the improved torque required by the off-road drive modes and towing potential. Which is 6,000 kilos, by the best way.
There shall be two battery capacities obtainable, with a most vary exceeding 440 miles, in response to Lucid. The person battery packs are the identical as these within the Air, however are organized in a different way because of the packaging necessities of a three-row “SUV” versus a sedan. As one instance, the Air stacks some packs atop one another beneath the again seat, whereas they’re stacked beneath the Gravity’s entrance seat to benefit from the necessity to present a taller seating place anyway. Recharging must be simply as distinctive because the Air, with its 900-volt structure permitting for a theoretical replenishment of 200 miles in about quarter-hour … on a charger that works to its potential. Cue the chuckle observe, however sometime! Sometime!
Air suspension is non-compulsory, and when so-equipped, routinely adjusts in peak primarily based on drive mode. It will also be manually adjusted ought to you end up off-road. Just like the Air, the Gravity has semi-active damping management, however not like the Air, it provides the choice of rear-wheel steering. That, plus what we’ve skilled within the Air, ought to point out that the Gravity shall be one of many tightest-handling three-row autos available on the market.
There are different variations and additions of observe, together with new colours past these obtainable on the Air. New “Lucid Sanctuary” and “Lucid Areas” options use all that display screen house and the sound system to show the cabin, when parked, into completely different immersive environments. Some are meditative, however there’s additionally a rock live performance one and the potential for others. With no full demo, it was laborious to totally comprehend, not to mention admire. However hey, it’ll exist.
So will the Lucid Gravity come late 2024 when manufacturing begins. Lucid has a greater observe report than different EV makers, together with that tiny startup often known as “Basic Motors,” of getting its creations to market, in order that timeline appears possible. Lucid says the beginning worth level shall be “beneath $80,000,” which in that case, shall be sturdy worth for a three-row car with real family-friendly house, a tech-filled luxurious cabin and really spectacular EV credentials.