Lucid Air just smashed Tesla’s range figures with a 520-mile EPA rating

(Image credit: Lucid Motors)

published 17 September 2021

Lucid Motors has had its range figured verified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the results are likely a blow to Tesla and its Model S Long Range Plus. The 520-mile rating of the Lucid Air Dream Edition is 118 miles longer than the Tesla, making it the longest verified range of any EV.

Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson – a former Tesla employee – finally has the confirmation after promising the figures back in August 2020. He also promised a 0-60mph of just 2.5 seconds from their 900-volt architecture.

The Lucid Air is a four-door saloon EV of a similar size to the Tesla Model S and comes with stitched nap leather seats and a glass roof. There are currently four editions available with prices starting from $77,400 (£56k/AU$106k) for the Lucid Air Pure, going up to $169,000 (£122k/AU$232k) for the Lucid Air Dream Edition. Reservations are currently closed for the Dream Edition but even the Air Pure has a projected range of 406 miles.

Inside the vehicle has a more traditional layout than Tesla’s single-screen approach. A large instrument panel is courtesy of a floating 34-inch 5-K panel, while a central Pilot Panel screen is retractable to reveal more storage. There’s also a 21-speaker system to provide its ‘Surreal Sound’ audio. The system has Amazon Alexa voice assistant built-in and promises to bring Apple CarPlay in a future over-the-air update.

The Lucid Air uses the Electrify America network of chargers and can provide 300-miles from around 30 minutes of charge time from its own built-in Wunderbox boost charger. This can automatically boost the incoming voltage at almost all public chargers to provide a faster charging time.

The first Lucid Air vehicles are due to reach customers later this year, while production preview models are already rolling off its AMP-1 factory in Arizona.

As T3's Editor-in-Chief, Mat Gallagher has his finger on the pulse for the latest advances in technology. He has written about technology since 2003 and after stints in Beijing, Hong Kong and Chicago is now based in the UK. He’s a true lover of gadgets, but especially anything that involves cameras, Apple, electric cars, musical instruments or travel.