Lucid begins production of its flagship Air sedan, deliveries to begin next month

Electric vehicle start-up Lucid announced the production of its first electric car - Lucid Air, with deliveries scheduled to begin late next month. The company unveiled its first state-of-the-art luxury sedan with a race-proven technology during an official event at AMP-1 Factory in Arizona. Lucid's Arizona manufacturing plant will produce the Lucid Air Dream Edition models, with an industry-leading range of up to 520 miles on a single charge, according to the EPA. It's over 100 miles more than its closest competitor, the Tesla Model S Long Range, which musters only 405 miles in comparison. The Air comes with a 113-kWh battery pack and DC fast-charging capability. Lucid will offer new owners three years of complimentary fast-charging at Electrify America charging stations. There's no cap on how many times owners can charge their cars, as long as it's used for personal and not commercial purposes. With more than 13,000 reservations for the Lucid Air so far, the company is hoping to make its first customer deliveries of Dream Edition models in late October.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey joined other policymakers and EV industry professionals at the factory commissioning ceremony. During the event, clients, analysts, investors, and media members were given the opportunity to test drive the Lucid Air. The company also highlighted its plans for local job creation, economic development and future expansion in the state. Lucid’s manufacturing facilities are expected to bring a projected economic output (direct, indirect, and induced) of USD 9 billion to the state in 2024, as well as a projected 15,000 jobs annually (direct, indirect, and induced) by 2024.

Peter Rawlinson, CEO of Lucid Group said, "Our technology will allow for increasingly lighter, more efficient, and less expensive (electric vehicles), and today represents a major step in our journey to expand the accessibility of more sustainable transportation”

Lucid's mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable modes of mobility by creating the most captivating electric vehicles, centered around the human experience. The company plans to produce and sell other variants of the Air, including a Grand Touring version that received a 516-mile EPA range rating. The Grand Touring variant has a starting price of USD 139,000, while the longest-range Dream Edition has a base price of USD 169,000.