Lucid unveils Gravity SUV with 440 mile range, starting under $80K… oh, and it has a frunk seat

As this article goes live onto the interwebs, American EV automaker Lucid Motors is pulling the cloak off its second model and first-ever SUV – the Gravity. Today’s unveiling at AutoMobility LA is years in the making and represents the next chapter for Lucid, which looks to garner a larger audience of American consumers with its encore EV. Lots to unfold here, including some video footage you can peep below, so let’s dig in.

Today’s public milestone puts a bookend on Lucid Motor’s first production chapter and opens up an entirely new… space… in the market of larger EVs. We at Electrek have been following Gravity’s evolution ever since its makers teased its arrival at the end of the launch video of its flagship Air sedan back in 2021.

Since then, we’ve speculated on what Lucid’s sophomore model would look like, taking cues from patent filings and brief updates during quarterly reports. However, Lucid had remained quite mum about the Gravity SUV – at least until nearly a year ago to the day, when it shared its first official images.

By spring, we got video footage of public road testing and our best look at the overall exterior styling of the Gravity, albeit camouflaged. In August, Lucid shared it had about 30 three-row SUVs built as it finalized development, which remained on track for a launch in November.

That brings us to Los Angeles today, where, for the first time ever, the general public gets its first full look at the Gravity inside and out. I got the chance to see it up close yesterday (more on that later), but to begin, check out these exterior images before we dig into the SUV’s specs.

Lucid’s Gravity SUV has arrived on Earth, and it’s a sight

Upon first glance, you’ll notice this is a Lucid EV through and through. That’s interesting to type, as the automaker has only delivered one other model to date, but the Air sedan originally set the brand’s tone for a design language that is inherently lux, and it has only been sharpened in Gravity.

It may be tough to distinguish from the images above, but one of the first details you’ll notice from the outside is how low the SUV rides (155 mm height in preproduction specs). That said, it still offers a wheelbase that’s only slightly shorter than the Rivian R1S, offering plenty of room for its third row.

To demonstrate its interior space (112 cubic feet of total usable cargo space with seats folded down), Lucid recruited some of its more vertically gifted team members to climb into the SUV and showcase how much room they had. Some people who were 6 foot 4 inches or taller sat comfortably in the second and third rows.

Although there is plenty of legroom in the interior, thanks to Lucid’s long 900V platform, the Gravity does sacrifice a bit of “greenhouse” above to maximize its range and efficiency. There’s still plenty of headroom, but less compared to other SUVs on the current market – but we’d argue most consumers would forgo a glass dome above their heads if it means better aerodynamics and range.

Speaking of which, official numbers aren’t in yet, but Lucid shared that it is targeting a drag coefficient below 0.24 with the Gravity SUV, which would usurp the Tesla Model X as the production SUV with the lowest Cd on the planet. Lucid’s senior vice president of design and brand, Derek Jenkins, spoke to the elements that went into bringing Gravity to fruition on today’s LA stage.

At Lucid, we believe in pushing the boundaries of design. We have leaned into this belief to maximize spaciousness, aerodynamic efficiency, and utility, resulting in an electric SUV with a previously unseen blend of attributes. Whether it’s a cargo-swallowing SUV for family camping trips or a long-range grand tourer covering hundreds of miles between stops, Gravity is designed to be versatile. Our team’s dedication to creating an SUV that seamlessly fuses form and function has resulted in a vehicle that’s visually striking, incredibly versatile, and provides an elevated luxury driving experience.

One last cool little tidbit I learned about the Gravity yesterday is that all models will come with two different wheel sizes between the front and rear. Options are 21 inches and 20 inches, or 22 inches and 21 inches.

Next, let’s check out the interior, where you’ll notice some exciting changes compared to the Air sedan.

While a first look will probably trigger a nod to the minimalist yet purposeful tightrope of luxury, Lucid continues to masterfully toe, the dashboard of its first SUV introduces some welcomed changes.

For instance, Lucid has moved its display panel above the steering wheel. Referred to as the “Clearview Cockpit,” this 34-inch curved OLED display now sits uninterrupted (the Air has three separate screens) above a new steering wheel design.

Sitting in the driver’s seat myself yesterday, I can say the wheel is positioned in such a way that it appears quite low before you sit down but is actually perfectly placed to provide comfort and stability to your arms while offering a complete line of sight to the display and road ahead.

You’ll also notice the center console display has been turned horizontally compared to the vertical screen in the Air. Earlier this month, we surmised we might see this screen rotation in the Gravity after Lucid announced the addition of streaming apps like Apple and Amazon Music with “more media apps to follow.” How are you going to watch videos on a vertical screen? Exactly.

As you can see in the image above, Lucid’s Gravity SUV also features a new glass center console that slides open for additional storage and wireless phone charging. But wait – what about that frunk we mentioned? Lucid describes it as “substantial,” but that’s a bit of an understatement. The specific design of the hood and its latches leave plenty of room up front. In fact, the frunk can be used as a lounge if desired. Check it out.

How about that? Just casually lounging inside the hood of your new SUV? What a time to be alive. While the front FRONT seat may be slightly gimmicky, it does showcase the overall space of the Gravity’s frunk and Lucid’s expertise in maximizing every square inch in its vehicles.

Another factor Lucid is excellent at maximizing is range and efficiency – so last but certainly not least, let’s break down the performance specs, pricing, and when you can drive the SUV yourself.

Lucid Gravity specs, pricing, and availability

All right, time for the juicy stuff. To begin, we’ve learned that Lucid will roll out trims to match its Air sibling, meaning the launch version of the SUV is called the Dream Edition (seen above), followed by a GT, Touring, and the most price-friendly – Pure.

During this morning’s debut, Lucid rolled out the Dream Edition version of the Gravity in silver (although there is not an exclusive exterior color this go around like there was for the Air launch). Joining the Dream Edition on stage was a “Stealth” version of Gravity, complete with blacked-out wheels, trim, and a new color for the Lucid configurator called “Aurora Green.” Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson also spoke to its next iteration of electric mobility in front of the crowd in LA:

The Gravity SUV represents a significant leap forward for Lucid’s world-leading technology and design. Customers will find an unprecedented combination of space and maneuverability, luxury, and versatility, all seamlessly integrated into one remarkable vehicle with the driving experience and range of a true Lucid. Lucid’s innovative proprietary EV powertrain technology and our holistic approach to vehicle engineering already enabled the Air sedan to redefine what was thought possible from a luxury sports sedan. With Gravity, these innovations evolved and our next generation technology is applied with even greater effect, resulting in an electric SUV that can achieve over 440 miles of range with a battery pack a little more than half the size of some of our battery-hungry competitors.

Please note that the specs shared today pertain to the top-tier launch trim of the SUV and remain preproduction model specs that are subject to change. We are certain to learn more as we get closer to the official start of Gravity sales next year. Here’s what we know:

• Platform Architecture: 900V
• Battery Capacity: “About the same size as Air” (113 kWh)
• Range: Up to 440 miles (Lucid Motors’ estimate)
• Charging: Up to 200 miles in 15 minutes (on 350kW DCFC)
• Horsepower: Over 800 hp
• 0-60 mph Acceleration: Under 3.5 seconds
• Payload Capacity: 1,500 lbs.
• Towing Capacity: 6,000 lbs.
• Cargo Capacity: 112 cubic feet
• Drag Coefficient: <0.24 (targeted)

As for pricing, our best idea for MSRPs begins with the aforementioned Pure trim, which Lucid says will start below $80,000. That could mean potential federal tax incentives since it’s built in the US. Like the Air, Pure is almost certainly the last version of the Gravity we will see on the assembly lines… except, perhaps, for the tri-motor Sapphire model, which you can most certainly expect to see announced someday.

As for the pricing of the other Gravity trims, we were told to expect MSRPs to resemble those of the Air sedan, whose Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring trims are currently set at $74,900, $87,500, and $115,600, respectively. Expect the Dream Edition Gravity to eclipse all those numbers.

We are certain to learn more details of how these models will vary in specs and pricing in 2024 as Lucid moves closer to Gravity production in Arizona, scheduled for late next year. That’s all for now. Lucid said it will upload a video of today’s unveiling at AutoMobility LA, which we will add when it’s posted.

In the meantime, here’s a launch video showing the Gravity SUV in great detail. Enjoy!

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