2023 Lucid Air Pure, Air Touring Start Manufacturing With As much as 425-Mile Vary – CNET

This morning, California-based luxurious EV producer Lucid Motors introduced ultimate vary and effectivity particulars for the upcoming Air Pure and Air Touring trim ranges of its flagship luxurious sedan, gearing as much as start manufacturing and supply of the extra reasonably priced variants later this yr. 

With manufacturing effectively underway for the luxurious Air Grand Touring, the high-performance Air Sapphire finalizing avenue and monitor testing and the launch particular Air Dream Edition fully offered out, Lucid turns its focus to finalizing and getting the extra reasonably priced variants of the Air electrical sedan into buyer driveways. A smaller battery pack will assist hold prices down, however extra environment friendly aerodynamics, decreased weight and smarter software program tuning helps Air Pure and Air Touring to ship among the most spectacular vary estimates within the biz.

Lucid Air Pure

The bottom Air Pure spec will launch first with a 480-horsepower, dual-motor powertrain (including $5,500 to the underside line) with manufacturing starting this December. Subsequent yr, a single-motor, rear-drive mannequin shall be supplied, starting manufacturing and reaching prospects by the tip of 2023. Lucid’s Lego-like battery pack will step right down to an 18-module Lengthy Vary configuration from the 22 bricks used within the Prolonged Vary pack up till now. Lucid selected to take away the 4 modular battery models from the middle of the pack, within the course of liberating up extra legroom on the second row by dropping the footwell by round 3.7 inches. 

The Pure additionally debuts a full aluminum roof, reasonably than the Glass Cover of the higher trim ranges. The brand new prime is lighter — at all times good for effectivity and driving dynamics — and cheaper to provide. To stability with the strong roof, the Pure’s glass backlight has additionally been fully reshaped, ditching its notch for a extra streamlined look. Black roof rails additionally add a little bit of visible distinction. 

Aerodynamic enhancements enable the Air Pure to chop via the air with a drag coefficient of simply 0.197 — the bottom of any Air mannequin so far. Together with the lighter battery and roof, the extra environment friendly Pure mannequin remains to be capable of return a really respectable 410-mile EPA-estimated vary when outfitted with the usual 19-inch Aero Vary wheels.

Inside, the Pure makes use of a brand new Dune inside cloth on the dashboard, door playing cards and seats made from 100% recycled woven textiles, matched with PurLuxe leather-based various. The entry-level luxurious Air Pure continues to supply the identical Lucid Person Expertise cabin tech and DreamDrive driver-aid suite as the highest trim ranges, in addition to the identical quick DC quick charging functionality that may add as much as 200 miles of vary in round quarter-hour at a robust sufficient station.

Lucid Air Touring

In the course of the lineup, the Lucid Air Touring will finally come commonplace with the aluminum roof, however will initially be supplied with the Glass Cover for added value ($4,500). The Touring additionally rolls out with the 18-module Lengthy Vary battery and advantages from the identical weight discount and elevated rear legroom because the Air Pure.

Just lately, I used to be capable of briefly drive the dual-motor Air Touring and expertise its acknowledged 620 mixed horsepower, silently rocketing from 0 to 60 mph in simply 3.4 seconds. That is a number of ticks wanting the Sapphire’s 1.9-second dash, however nonetheless an exhilarating expertise and really respectable when in comparison with much less insane sedans on this class. 

The Touring additionally advantages from the identical aerodynamic enhancements because the Pure, however totally different energy and effectivity software program tuning permits this spec to stretch its vary to 425 EPA-estimated miles per cost. Doing the mathematics, that works out to a claimed 4.62 miles per kilowatt-hour, making this essentially the most environment friendly Air within the lineup and one of the vital environment friendly EVs on the highway.

Inside, Nappa full-grain leather-based upholstery and wooden accents (sustainably sourced, in fact) are paired with recycled materials and artificial supplies all through the cabin.

Earlier this yr, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson announced increased prices for many variations of the Air. The bottom air Air Pure climbed from $77,400 to $87,400, whereas the Air Touring went from $95,000 to $107,400. The elevated pricing did not have an effect on present reservation holders, the primary of whom will quickly start receiving their Touring and Pure automobiles.