September 29th 2021
Lucid Motors organised a factory-commissioning event in Casa Grande, Arizona, yesterday to commemorate the beginning of the Lucid Air sedan production. The automaker invited a bunch of reservation holders, Lucid VIPs, and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to see the 2022 Lucid EV Air come out of the assembly line.
Analysts, investors, and media personnel were also there to cover this ceremony. The progress shows that the EV has obtained its complete FPA and FMVSS safety certification, leading the way for the first deliveries of the Air Dream Edition, which will start next month.
Lucid calls its factory the Advanced Manufacturing Plant (AMP-1), which is primarily autonomous, creating the cars themselves. The Lucid Powertrain Manufacturing (LPM-1) facility also works pretty much the same way building main powertrain parts themselves like the electric motors, power electronics, and battery packs.
A Lucid spokesperson revealed to CarAndDriver that full command over both powertrain design and the building is one reason why the Dream Edition can generate up to 1,111 horsepower and offer an EPA-certified range of 520 miles.
Lucid has limited the production to only 520 cars for now to commemorate the highest range realisation. However, the Casa Grande, Arizona, facility will also develop the $139,000 Lucid Air Grand Touring.
This variant can create 800 horsepower, and EPA certified it to cover 516 miles with the standard 19-inch wheels and tires. The development of the cheaper Touring and Pure variants will start after they get their EPA certifications.
In the next two years, the AMP-1 facility will start developing Lucid’s SUV. Apart from knowing its name Project Gravity, we don’t know anything about it. Lucid didn’t give any information, nor did they open its reservation. The wait is probably a planned decision to let the new AMP-1 facility upgrade efficiently before a possibly higher-volume SUV hits the production lines.
For the Lucid Air EV, the automaker has received only 13,000 reservations so far. With the plant working, it will be exciting to see if the number goes up. Generally, we see automakers start production with the high-end variants, so we are curious to find out what will happen once the $77,400 Lucid Air Pure is available.
Undoubtedly, for an auto startup, initiating the production is a big feat. But the real test starts afterwards; consistent sales, timely delivery, manufacture quality, and after-sale service are a few challenges for every new automaker. Only time will tell if the design, luxury, and range of Lucid Air EV will give it an edge over other sedans in its segment.
Source and Image: C&D