You could call a relationship between Tesla and Lucid Air similar to that of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Both are heavy-weight boxing champions, and in case you didn’t know, Mike Tyson bit off Holyfield’s ear in the legendary match in 1997.
Now, CEOs don’t beat each other to a pulp in the ring – though we’d pay to see that – but they do beat the snot out of each other with words and actions. They dig deep to give us a better product, better deals, and a better price. It’s a silent war 24/7.
Dethroning Tesla’s position as EV’s market leader is a task that even industry veterans such as GM struggle with. Yet when slow-on-the-uptake mammoths struggle to veer in the right direction, more nimble startups seize the opportunity. Lucid Air is a kind of startup that does just that.
Founded by Tesla’s former chief engineer, Peter Rawlinson, this ambitious start up proves that Elon Musk doesn’t hold a monopoly on genuine innovation. They’re pushing the boundaries in a manner befitting a future leader in alternative fuels, reminiscent of Tesla itself.
Specs
Range
Lucid Air sets a new world record as the longest distance EV with 512miles on full charge, overcoming Tesla Models S’s 322 miles.
Charging Speed
Not only has it set the record for range, but also for the fastest charging EV with 300 miles in 20 minutes across all Lucid Air stations. Tesla’s Model S charges 300 miles in 30 minutes, and that’s the best-case scenario across Tesla stations.
Cost Effectiveness
Lucid Air has partnered with Electrify America to provide all vehicle owners with 3 years of free charging. Tesla doesn’t offer similar deals. Moreover, Lucid Air builds more cost-efficient home charging stations.
Speed/Acceleration
If it’s acceleration you’re after, Tesla Model S scores a point here, breaching the 100 km/h barrier in 2.3 seconds, and maxing out at 266 km/h.
While Lucid Air can also take you up to 266 km/h, it falls just short on the acceleration, hitting 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. As Gordon Murray says, it’s not all about the acceleration and top speed, so maybe this isn’t a deal breaker after all.
AI capability
Steve Jobs used to say that if you’re serious about software, you build your own hardware. Well, if you’re serious about the EV business, you ensure your car packs intelligent features.
Lucid Air provides free over-the-air updates just like Tesla.
What’s more, it also packages a driver monitoring system not available on Tesla, which uses facial recognition technology to detect signs of sleep deprivation and issue warnings.
Nevertheless, Tesla knocks Lucid Air out where self-driving capability is concerned. It’s not even close. In fact, Audi’s CEO Markus Duesmann recently shared that Tesla is 2 years ahead of the market.
Comfort
Let’s preface this section by reinforcing the fact that Tesla model S is a damn comfortable car. It sports plenty of leg space and cargo area for the majority of consumers. It’s a premium vehicle through and through.
Lucid Air is a luxury vehicle. As such, it delivers comfort that’s on the next level. It’s a celebrity car.
For starters, Lucid Air is the only EV currently on the market that allows you to recline backseats like in a private jet. From such position passengers can enjoy a panoramic view thanks to a crystal clear rooftop. Fun fact: Lucid Air owes its name to this feature.
Check out this two minute video that reimagines spacious interiors for the future.
Perks such as more space and more elegant driver display increase the discrepancy between Lucid Air and Tesla even further.
Verdict
Lucid Air offers better range, better charging speed, and more comfort. Tesla only has speed and acceleration and self-driving on its side. If it were a boxing match, Lucid Air would keep Tesla on the backfoot.
But would it really?
We’ve discussed a lot of points, but we intentionally omitted perhaps the most crucial one. The price.
Tesla Model 3 costs approximately $50,000. Lucid Air costs $169,000. Probably fair to say that they’re both in completely different weight categories.
In fact, Lucid Air’s CEO says so in an interview with Bloomberg. He views top price bracket brands such as Mercedes, Porsche, and BMW as Lucid Air’s main competition, not Tesla.
Nonetheless, both EV giants are striving towards a common goal: to accelerate the transition to a society unconstrained by fossil fuels.
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