Lucid shows progress at Arizona EV factory, new production Air picture emerges

If we haven’t heard from Lucid Motors over the past two years it was to get the company up and running perfectly. Since the beginning of the year, Lucid has announced a series of good news. The factory is on target to start production by the end of 2020. We also have a new picture of the final Dream Edition Air.

Lucid Motors factory ready by late 2020

Lucid Motors posted an update with a video on its factory construction. The groundbreaking happened at the greenfield site in late 2019. Since then, the company continued building the factory where the production Lucid Air will start late in 2020. True to its “just in time” philosophy, Lucid will soon reveal more on the production processes.

70% of the steel structure manufacturing plant is finished. Lucid says it is averaging a completion rate of 2.5% each day. It will use 67,400,000 pounds of concrete with 11,353,800 pounds of steel in 4,316 prefabricated pieces to build the factory.

Lucid Motors tests beta Air

Peter Rawlinson, Lucid Air CEO said:

This purpose-built factory will serve our needs precisely because — as with the Lucid Air itself — there were no constraints on designing it exactly as it should be. Seeing these vast, multistory structures rise according to plan confirms that we are indeed on track to begin production here later this year.

To date, a team of assembly associates is working in Lucid’s Silicon Valley headquarters building the production-representative beta prototypes. The Lucid Motors Air will pack a range of up to 400 miles. 80 Beta EVs tested specific dynamics.

Last year, we learned Beta 1 and Beta 5 were testing and validating powertrain advances — analyzing performance and efficiency with increased power and torque levels, measuring durability, and testing range. Beta 8 refined damper performance on imperfect pavement. Beta 11 calibrated steering geometry to allow steering to personal taste. The Beta 9 traveled over 400 miles on a single charge at highway speeds at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA.

Lucid Air Beta testing. Photo: Courtesy Lucid Motors

Lucid Motors factory building. Photo: Courtesy Lucid Motors

Lucid Motors factory building. Photo: Courtesy Lucid Motors

Lucid Air production Dream Edition

Here is the first Lucid Motors production Air picture named the Dream Edition. The Dream Edition is an early signature production series. We don’t have production numbers yet. It was introduced last week to reservation holders at the company’s exclusive event in its first showroom in Newark, CA.

The limited-run launch edition will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show which we will be at in April.

Lucid Air Dream Edition production revealed. Photo: Courtesy Lucid Motors

Test ride of the Lucid Air

The Lucid Motors Air is a particularly amazing performance EV. I took a test ride in it two years ago. The Air prototype was not fully sorted with off-the-shelf Pirelli tires. But the car easily climbed up the Los Angeles Petersen Museum winding ramp at close to 35 MPH without brutalizing us. My wife who will remind me of the limit of my driving skills didn’t feel bumped in her seat nor unsafe. It was spectacular to see the Air dodge cones without hesitation.

My favorite quote from Rawlison when asking him about why he created Lucid and the particular design of the Air was: “Nicolas, you can’t imagine how amazing it is to continue the development of an EV the way I know is best. I carved the batteries where they were supposed to be. I finally got to do it the way it should be done.” And that test ride proved his excitement wasn’t undeserved.

Stay tuned for the New York Auto Show where we will witness the result of years of work for the company as it reveals the Lucid Air.