Lucid Motors Getting Ready For Its Close Up

Lucid Motors has been working on electric vehicles, or at least EV batteries, since 2008. In the years since, the company went from one that focused on batteries to one that also worked on powertrains and, later, raised money to build its own vehicles. So, to say that its first vehicle has been a long time coming is not an exaggeration.

Now that the actual vehicle is coming soon – Motor Trend recently had a first drive of the 2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition, and loved it – Lucid is getting ready for increased media attention by opening its doors during what it is calling Production Preview Week 1 that will take place towards the end of September.

The media tours will happen at Lucid’s Advanced Manufacturing Plant factory (known as AMP-1) in Casa Grande, Arizona. Journalists will be on hand, as well as “financial community” members, policymakers and a select group of customers, Lucid said in a press release this week. The tours will include visits to the production facility, a technology deep dive and – and this is the kicker – ride and drives in the Air.

The Air gets its long range numbers from its massive 113-kWh battery, which partly explains the $170,000 starting price tag for the decked-out Dream Edition. The Air has unquestionably impressive specs throughout the spec sheet. The Dream Edition R (the R stands for range) produces 933 horsepower and has a range of more 500 miles on a single charge. The Air Dream Edition P (for performance) produces 1,111 horsepower but comes with a lower range of “just” 450 miles.

If you’ve read the MT review, you know that the Air will have three drive modes: Smooth, Swift and Sprint

S
. Smooth seems like the default setting you’ll want for daily driving, offering 670 hp in the R, 804 in the P, as well as softer dampers and brake-pedal feel. Swift mode keeps the power output the same, but firms up the driving style. Sprint is the mode you’ll want to experience all 933 hp in the R and 1,111 in the P.

Lucid is obviously eager for the renewed media attention on the horizon, saying that you can order vehicles now (the base model, the Air Pure, starts at $69,900). First deliveries of the Air Dream Edition will start before the end of the year, reportedly, and the company is taking the opportunity to now say that AMP-1 will expand in the future to build the company’s first SUV. That vehicle is currently called “Project Gravity,” and that’s about all we know about it. Production will start in 2023.