Lucid Motors should be doing great as they finally added a much-needed crossover to their lineup in the form of the Gravity. The model was recently named World Luxury Car, but it hasn’t reversed the company’s fortunes.

Given this, the automaker has announced a series of developments including the appointment of a new CEO. Silvio Napoli has been tapped for the top spot and he’ll replace interim CEO Marc Winterhoff, who will be transitioning to COO.

More: Uber And Lucid Partner For Thousands Of Robotaxis

While Napoli isn’t a household name, he was previously CEO of Switzerland’s Schindler Group, which makes elevators, escalators, and moving walks. That’s not exactly automotive experience, but Lucid praised his “deep operational expertise, financial discipline, and track record of leadership in innovation.”

In a Form 8-K filing, Lucid revealed Napoli will have a base salary of $1,500,000 and the potential to make $4,500,000 if certain performance targets are hit. He’s also getting up to $25,000 per month in temporary housing expenses for half a year as well as a “lump sum payment of $1,000,000 to cover any expenses in connection with moving to the US.”

Napoli will also get two company cars, security, as well as tax and financial planning support. If that wasn’t enough, the company also mentioned a “long-term incentive grant” with a target value of $9,500,000.

Bigger Uber Order And New Investments

Besides announcing a new CEO, Lucid revealed Uber is increasing their previously announced order of at least 20,000 Gravity SUVs to be used as robotaxis as part of a three-way tie up with Nuro. The service is scheduled to launch this year in the San Francisco Bay area and eventually spread to dozens of markets around the world.

The order has now been expanded to at least 35,000 vehicles and the ride-hailing giant has also promised to invest an additional $200 million into Lucid. This will raise their total investment into the firm to $500 million.

Uber isn’t the only one forking over the dough as the Ayar Third Investment Company is pumping $550 million into Lucid. They’re an affiliate of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is a major backer of the automaker.

Winterhoff said “Today’s announcement demonstrates the growing strength of our relationship with Uber, our continued partnership with the PIF, and the benefits our software-defined EV platforms bring to next-generation mobility networks.” He added, “This is yet another milestone in our partnership with Uber and Nuro, and we look forward to building on our momentum together in the years to come.”

Lucid is officially joining the robotaxi race, and it’s doing so with all-new products. During its investor day presentation on Thursday, the EV startup revealed a two-seat autonomous concept to insiders. Then, it confirmed plans to charge monthly subscription fees for advanced driver-assist and self-driving features in future cars.

More: Lucid Cuts 12% Of Its Workforce As The EV Shakeout Intensifies

The concept, called Lunar, is a purpose-built robotaxi designed without pedals or a steering wheel. It clearly signals that Lucid is serious about fully autonomous ride-hailing rather than just driver-assist technology. This puts the company on the same path as Tesla’s Cybercab program and similar efforts from other EV makers trying to turn autonomy into a long-term revenue stream.

Beyond the prototype reveal, Lucid shared very little technical detail about the Lunar. What it did emphasize is efficiency. The company is targeting between 5.5 and 6 miles per kWh, a figure that could translate to a theoretical range of around 400 miles.

Reaching that number will depend largely on low-drag aerodynamics and a carefully optimized body. Fast charging is also part of the equation, with Lucid claiming the robotaxi could gain more than 200 miles of range in about 15 minutes.

Whether the Lunar ever makes it past the concept stage is less certain, though. For now, the company already has plenty on its plate preparing its upcoming midsize EV lineup for launch, which carries far more weight for the company’s near-term finances.

Subscription Fees For Self Driving

Speaking of revenue, Lucid calls autonomy subscriptions “the single biggest software monetization opportunity.” As such, it’s going to start charging customers to use DreamDrive Pro, the brand’s in-car autonomy suite, on a monthly basis. Starting in the first half of 2027, owners will have to pay anywhere from $69 to $199 a month, depending on the level of autonomy they want.

Lucid says that it has a “Level 4-ready platform available directly from the factory.” While it hasn’t unveiled it to the public, it’ll ride on the brand’s midsize architecture that underpins a few new products heading to market. Lunar will only seat two individuals, so we expect it to have plenty of room for cargo.

That’ll work well with one of Lucid’s partners, Uber. The two are in talks to use the midsize platform in the way that they do Gravity with its robotaxi program.

Timelines

Lucid went as far as to openly lay out its timeline roadmap as well. This year, it believes it’ll offer hands-free highway driving to customers. Next year, it hopes to offer hands-free highway and city driving. In 2028, it wants to achieve Level 3 autonomy. That’s where drivers still need to be ready to take over but the car can mostly navigate on its own.

Level 4, something Lucid is aiming for in 2029, would allow drivers to take their eyes off of the road. Whether or not all of this comes to pass is up for debate, but at least now we know the plan.