Lucid Motors gunning for title of world's most powerful, luxurious EV with the 1,080PS Lucid Air

With a co-efficient of drag of just 0.21, the Lucid Air also looks set to claim the title of the world's most aerodynamic luxury sedan, apart from the most powerful, and most luxurious all-electric sedan. It's easy to see that Lucid Motors, based in Newark, California, is squaring up Tesla in its sights, though the company is quick to point out that it considers its first vehicle more of the electric equivalent to a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

To offer the superlative, like its inspiration, the Lucid Air will offer up to 1,080PS from a dual electric motor setup on a world-first 900-volt architecture (claimed 0-100kmph 2.5 seconds), with a 113kWh battery delivering an estimated EPA-range of 832km. These figures apply for the range-topping Dream Edition variant, with Grand Touring, Touring and base variants filling up the rest of the lineup. No details are available yet for the base variant, but it's expected to be a single-motor, rear-wheel drive setup, while the Touring will offer about 650PS and 650km range, and the Grand Touring ups that to 800PS. DC fast charging is expected to refill up to 480km of driving range in just 20 minutes.

Specifics for the Lucid Air's body dimensions haven't been revealed but it will offer seating for five, with an executive rear seating option bringing lounge-like seats for two at the rear. Quality and materials are said to be top-drawer, and with design for the interior and exterior starting from a clean slate we can expect the best space utilisation, with a large glass roof helping the feeling of airiness. Lucid also claims the largest front-trunk cargo capacity of any EV available currently.

Expected pricing for the Lucid Air has already been announced, with a base model coming in under $80,000 (Rs 60 lakh, converted) and going up to $169,000 (Rs 1.2cr, converted) for the Lucid Air Dream Edition. For reference, the Tesla Model S prices start at around the same point but top out around $124,000 (Rs 92 lakh, converted), while the Porsche Taycan starts at $103,000 (Rs 75 lakh converted) and can cost over $240,000 for a fully specced-out Turbo S variant (Rs 1.76cr, converted).

Lucid Motors is no flash in the pan, either, with extensive experience in battery-tech, supplying batteries and battery management systems to the Formula E electric-racing world championship via its technology wing, Atieva. Lucid Motors, began life in 2007 as Atieva, with former Tesla VP and board member, Bernard Tse, and entrepreneur Sam Weng with former Tesla engineering VP and chief technical officer, Peter Rawlinson, coming on board in 2013 as CTO, being made CEO in 2019. The company has already has already broken ground on a massive EV factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, not far from its Silicon Valley headquarters, and promises deliveries in America by the first quarter of 2021.