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Lucid was founded in 2007 by Bernard Tse and Sam Weng, former Tesla executives, under the name Atieva (Advanced Technology in Electric Vehicles Application). The company initially focused on developing battery packs and powertrain technology for electric buses and other OEMs.
In 2016, the company was renamed Lucid Motors and announced plans to build a luxury electric sedan. Peter Rawlinson, former chief engineer of the Tesla Model S, joined as CEO and CTO in 2019, bringing credibility and a clear product vision: a luxury EV that could beat Tesla on range, efficiency, and interior space.
The Lucid Air was revealed in 2020 and entered production in October 2021 at Lucid factory in Casa Grande, Arizona. The Air Dream Edition achieved an EPA-rated range of 520 miles, the highest range of any production EV at the time. The company went public via SPAC merger in July 2021 at a valuation of approximately $24 billion.
[Note: Lucid is a very young automaker operating at low production volumes relative to its manufacturing capacity. Financial losses are substantial. The Gravity SUV, announced as the second model, has faced delays. Production forecasts and timeline claims should be treated with caution.]
The Lucid Air achieved an EPA-rated range of 520 miles in the Dream Edition Range trim, the highest range of any production EV. This was achieved through a combination of a low-drag coefficient (0.21 Cd), a high-voltage (924V) electrical architecture that improved efficiency, and a compact drive unit design.
The Lucid Electric Advanced Platform (LEAP) uses a miniaturized drive unit that integrates the motor, inverter, and differential into a package small enough to fit inside the car wheel well. This allowed the Air to offer more interior space than competitors with similar exterior dimensions, including a front trunk (frunk) large enough for a golf bag.
Lucid introduced a 924-volt architecture that enables charging speeds of up to 300 kW on DC fast chargers, allowing the Air to add up to 300 miles of range in approximately 20 minutes under optimal conditions.
The Lucid Glass Cockpit is a 34-inch curved glass display spanning from the instrument cluster to the center of the dashboard, fabricated by LG and using an advanced curved-glass manufacturing process that was technically challenging to produce.
[Note: The 520-mile EPA range figure was for the limited-production Dream Edition Range. Production Grand Touring trims have lower EPA ratings (469-516 miles depending on configuration). Range figures assume optimal temperature and driving conditions.]
Bernard Tse and Sam Weng founded Atieva as an electric vehicle battery and powertrain technology company.
Atieva rebranded as Lucid Motors and announced plans to produce a luxury electric sedan.
Peter Rawlinson, former Tesla Model S chief engineer, joined Lucid as CEO and CTO.
The Lucid Air was officially revealed with an EPA range of 520 miles, setting a new industry benchmark.
The first Lucid Air customer deliveries began from the Casa Grande, Arizona factory.
How the platform works for buyers and dealers