Lucid introduced the Air in
2016 and now the company has announced plans to unveil the production model in
April. The company is keeping details under wraps, but confirmed the debut will
take place in New York. Given this, it’s possible the vehicle will be unveiled
at the New York Auto Show which kicks off on April 8th.
Regardless of when the debut
takes place, Lucid told us “In addition to its final interior and exterior
designs, you can expect key details on the revolutionary Air to be shared,
including production specifications, available configurations, and pricing
information.”
In concept form, the Lucid Air
was powered by two electric motors, one driving the front wheels and one
powering the rear, making for a combined total of 1,000 hp. At the time, Lucid
has said it would offer customers the choice of 100 kWh or 130 kWh battery
pack, with the latter promising up to 400 miles on a single charge. Lucid has
said that it will cost north of US$ 100,000.
In the meantime, the company
is busy dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s. As part of this effort,
Lucid is building 80 beta prototypes, which are “highly representative of the
production Air,” at their Silicon Valley headquarters. These models will be
extensively tested to ensure everything is up to snuff. Furthermore, engineers
are fine tuning a number of components including the brakes, steering and
traction / stability control system. Lucid will also perform body and chassis
durability testing as well as crash tests.
While all this is going on,
construction continues at Lucid’s new plant in Casa Grande, Arizona. The
company says most of the structural steel will be in place by the end of
February and the first pre-production Air should roll off the assembly line in
the early part of the fourth quarter. If everything goes according to plan, the
first models will be built before the end of the year, with the company aiming
at a production of 15,000 vehicles within the first 12 months.
Lucid is also in the process
of setting up a sales and service network. There’s no word on where stores will
be located, but the company said these centers “will not only give customers a
firsthand experience of our vehicles but provide exceptional service once they
are on the road.” The automaker is currently accepting reservations for US$ 1,000
and is planning to take the Air on a nationwide tour this summer. Of course,
we’ll learn more about that in the coming months.
