Lucid Air
Specs, engines and history
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By Felix Hartmann, Automotive Technology & EV Contributor
- Built
- 2021–present
- Top power
- 611 kW (831 PS)
Which Air to choose and its rivals
Our verdict · Felix Hartmann
The Touring is the most balanced version for European buyers: two motors, 462 kW, 653 km of EPA range and €99,900 in the German list of 2023. The Pure at €85,900 (2024) is the efficient entry model with rear-wheel drive. The Grand Touring is the long-distance car with the biggest battery, and the Sapphire is a super-saloon at a supercar price.
Its rivals are the Mercedes-Benz EQS, the Tesla Model S and the Porsche Taycan. Before buying, it is worth checking the distance to Lucid's nearest service point.
The Lucid Air is a large electric luxury saloon of 4,975 mm built in Casa Grande, Arizona, since September 2021. It was the first car of Lucid Motors and is known for its efficiency and range: the Grand Touring is rated by the US EPA at up to 824 km, and the three-motor Air Sapphire produces 920 kW. Lucid sells the Air in Europe, where German list prices ran from €85,900 for the Pure to €250,000 for the Sapphire in 2024.
Lucid began in 2007 as Atieva, a company founded by former Tesla vice-president Bernard Tse, Sam Weng and Sheaupyng Lin to develop batteries and electric drivetrains. It took the name Lucid Motors in October 2016. Peter Rawlinson, who had led engineering of the Tesla Model S, joined in 2013 and led the company as chief executive from 2019 to 2025. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund became the majority owner in 2019, and Lucid has traded on Nasdaq since 26 July 2021 after a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company. Headquartered in Newark, California, it added the Gravity SUV in December 2024.
Specs by version
Engines
Performance
Show all 2 versions
| Version | Range |
|---|---|
| Pure | 634 km394 mi |
| Grand Touring | 755 km469 mi |
Dimensions and weight
Show all 2 versions
| Version | Battery |
|---|---|
| Pure | 88 kWh |
| Grand Touring | 112 kWh |
Verified Manufacturer and type-approval data from our catalog · Sources and methodology
In short
- Built since September 2021 in Casa Grande, Arizona; final assembly for Saudi customers in Saudi Arabia.
- Versions from the 321–325 kW rear-wheel-drive Pure to the 920 kW (1,251 PS) three-motor Sapphire.
- Electrical system of about 900 volts; DC charging at up to 300 kW; up to 824 km EPA range for the Grand Touring.
- Euro NCAP 2022: five stars; 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year and 2023 World Luxury Car of the Year.
Lucid Air at a glance
| Parameter | Lucid Air |
|---|---|
| Production | since September 2021, Casa Grande (Arizona, USA) |
| Body | four-door saloon |
| Length / width / height | 4,975 / 1,939 / 1,410 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,960 mm |
| Drive | rear-wheel drive (Pure), two motors (Touring, Grand Touring, Dream), three motors (Sapphire) |
| Power | 321 kW (Pure) to 920 kW (Sapphire) |
| Batteries | 88 to 118 kWh |
| Kerb weight | 2,048–2,420 kg |
| Luggage | about 900 l front and rear combined |
| Drag coefficient | 0.21 (pre-production); 0.20 measured by MotorTrend |
Development and launch
Lucid showed a prototype of the Air in December 2016 and unveiled the production version on 9 September 2020. Production started on 28 September 2021, and the first Dream Edition cars were delivered in California on 30 October 2021. The cheaper Pure followed in late 2022.
Its electrical system runs at about 924 volts, with the battery at around 900 volts and a converter to 400 volts for other loads, and the car can use 800-volt fast chargers of the type built for the Porsche Taycan. Production volumes have stayed small: 7,180 cars in 2022, 8,428 in 2023 and 9,029 in 2024, rising to about 18,000 in 2025 according to the interim chief executive.
Versions, power and range
| Version | Battery | Power | Torque | EPA range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure (RWD) | 88 kWh | 321 kW (436 PS) | 550 Nm | 634–674 km |
| Touring (AWD) | 92 kWh | 462 kW (628 PS) | 1,199 Nm | 653 km |
| Grand Touring (AWD) | 112 kWh | 611 kW (831 PS) | 1,200 Nm | 755–824 km |
| Grand Touring Performance | 118 kWh | 783 kW (1,065 PS) | 1,249 Nm | 718 km |
| Dream Edition Range | 112 kWh | 696 kW (946 PS) | 1,390 Nm | 774–837 km |
| Dream Edition Performance | — | 828 kW (1,126 PS) | — | 726–758 km |
| Sapphire (3 motors) | — | 920 kW (1,251 PS) | 1,939 Nm | 687 km |
Ranges are EPA figures converted from miles; the higher number in each range applies to smaller wheels. ADAC lists the German Pure at 325 kW (442 PS), slightly more than Wikipedia's 321 kW, and Wikipedia gives the Pure's torque as both 550 and 600 Nm.
The Air is efficient for its size. The EPA rated the 2021 Grand Touring on 19-inch wheels at 26 kWh per 100 miles, about 16 kWh per 100 km, and Car and Driver measured 660 km in a 2022 test of the same version. In 2024 an Air set a Guinness record by covering 912 km across nine countries on one charge.
Charging
The Air charges at up to 250 or 300 kW on CCS fast chargers, depending on the version. Lucid says that at 300 kW or more the car adds about 480 km of range in 20 minutes. On alternating current it accepts up to 19.2 kW on suitable 240-volt American wallboxes. The electric car hub lists the charging figures of other large electric cars.
Air Sapphire
The Sapphire is the performance flagship, with three motors and 920 kW (1,251 PS) and 1,939 Nm. MotorTrend measured a quarter mile in 9.21 seconds in 2025, and the car lapped Virginia International Raceway in 2:44.3 in Car and Driver's 2024 Lightning Lap. In Germany it cost €250,000 from July 2024. For a sense of what these outputs mean against the car's 2,420 kg kerb weight, the power-to-weight calculator does the arithmetic.
Safety and awards
Euro NCAP tested the Air in 2022 and awarded five stars. The car scored 90 % for adult occupants, 91 % for children, 78 % for vulnerable road users and 84 % for safety assist. The child-occupant result was its highest score.
The Air won MotorTrend's Car of the Year award for 2022 and the World Luxury Car of the Year title at the 2023 World Car Awards.
Prices in Germany
| Version | Power | Period | List price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream Edition Range AWD | 696 kW (946 PS) | 07/2022–02/2024 | €218,000 |
| Dream Edition Performance AWD | 828 kW (1,126 PS) | 07/2022–02/2024 | €218,000 |
| Grand Touring AWD | 611 kW (831 PS) | from 12/2022 | €130,900 |
| Touring AWD | 462 kW (628 PS) | from 07/2023 | €99,900 |
| Pure AWD | 358 kW (487 PS) | 10/2023–02/2024 | €109,000 |
| Pure RWD | 325 kW (442 PS) | from 02/2024 | €85,900 |
| Sapphire AWD | 920 kW (1,251 PS) | from 07/2024 | €250,000 |
All prices come from the ADAC catalogue. The rear-wheel-drive Pure of February 2024 cut the German entry price by more than €20,000 compared with the dual-motor Pure that preceded it.
Photo gallery
Lucid Air in our rankings
- No. 3 of 59 · Longest-range electric cars (755 km)
- No. 4 of 149 · Most powerful sedans (611 kW)
- No. 6 of 78 · Biggest batteries: electric cars (112 kWh)
- No. 8 of 154 · Most powerful American cars (611 kW)
- No. 9 of 97 · Most powerful electric cars (611 kW)
- No. 42 of 859 · Most powerful cars (611 kW · top 5%)
More powerful than 97% of ranked sedans in the 1CARS catalog (No. 4 of 149).
FAQ
Where is the Lucid Air built?
In Casa Grande, Arizona, since September 2021. Cars for Saudi customers are finished in Saudi Arabia.
What is the range of the Lucid Air?
The EPA rates the Grand Touring at up to 824 km on 19-inch wheels and the Pure at up to 674 km. In 2024 an Air covered 912 km on one charge in a Guinness record drive.
How powerful is the Lucid Air Sapphire?
Three motors deliver 920 kW (1,251 PS) and 1,939 Nm.
How safe is the Lucid Air?
Euro NCAP gave it five stars in 2022, with 90 % for adults and 91 % for children.
How much does the Lucid Air cost in Germany?
The ADAC catalogue lists €85,900 for the Pure RWD (2024), €99,900 for the Touring (2023), €130,900 for the Grand Touring (2022) and €250,000 for the Sapphire (2024).
Data sources
Data checked by an editor against the sources below.
