Tesla and Elon Musk have long promised a $25,000 electric vehicle, but that idea has now been largely abandoned, with the EV maker’s boss recently dismissing it as pointless. Now, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson has (also) made it clear that his company isn’t interested in pursuing that price point either—though he still acknowledges there’s potential in the low-cost EV segment.

Speaking on a recent Wall Street Journal podcast, Rawlinson explained the challenges of budget EVs, stating, “That market is notorious because you get into mass manufacture—terrible, low margins… To install the manufacturing base for millions of these units makes little sense to me.”

Read: Lucid Air Sapphire Soundly Beats Porsche Taycan Turbo GT In Most Powerful U-Drag Race Yet

But Rawlinson does see the opportunity for other brands to build a $25,000 EV and even do so while still benefiting Lucid. “This is where our licensing opportunity comes to play. As a tech company licensing out tech so that other OEs can benefit from that and they could put such a vehicle in place. They have a more installed manufacturing base.”

No doubt, other OEMs have a larger production infrastructure when compared to Lucid. The fledgling EV company will sell fewer cars this year than supercar manufacturer Lamborghini, a far cry from the kind of figures it’ll need to do to be a long-term sustainable brand of its own merit. Offering its own tech through licensing deals could prove to be the solution for Lucid.

But here’s the rub: not every manufacturer is going to rush to license Lucid’s technology. Many already have their own strategies in motion, particularly in the lower-cost EV segment. Ford, for instance, is reportedly fielding a Skunkworks-style team dedicated to developing a $25,000 electric car.

Rivian, on the other hand, probably won’t be aiming that low in terms of cost but it appears poised to launch a $45,000-ish R2 platform and we still don’t know what kind of price the R3X will have. Either way, it appears that more affordable EVs are coming, we only have to wait and see if anyone will use Lucid tech to hit the market.

The California Highway Patrol’s motto is “Safety, Service, and Security,” but you might need to throw recharging into the mix as the law enforcement agency recently tested a modified version of the Lucid Air. It’s dubbed the Lucid Pursuit and it makes for one stylish police cruiser.

While the automaker didn’t have much to say, they released pictures of an Air equipped with emergency lights and push bumpers. They’re joined by steel wheels and a classic two-tone paint job. We can also see a badge-like graphic with a bear representing California as well as lightning bolts indicating the model is electric.

More: The World’s Fastest Armored Vehicle Is A $475,000 Lucid Air

Lucid was coy on specifics, but suggested the Air’s “unmatched combination” of range, performance, and room would make it ideal for law enforcement duty. You’ll notice pricing wasn’t mentioned and there’s a good reason for that as the Air Pure begins at $69,900. And that’s before taking into account all the inevitable and costly modifications needed to outfit a civilian-spec model for police work.

Even so, that’s far more than the old Dodge Charger Pursuit, but Lucid’s EV has 430 hp (321 kW / 436 PS) and an estimated range of 420 miles (676 km). The $78,900 Air Touring ups the ante with 620 hp (462 kW / 629 PS), which allows for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 3.4 seconds. Despite the jump in performance, the range only falls 14 miles (23 km).

For departments with bigger budgets and/or a complete disregard of taxpayer dollars, there’s the Air Grand Touring and Sapphire. The former starts at $110,900 and has 819 hp (611 kW / 830 PS) as well as a range of 512 miles (824 km). The Sapphire, on the other hand, is a $249,000 hypercar that sports 1,234 hp (920 kW / 1,251 PS) and a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 1.89 seconds.

One-percenters now have several super-fast electric sedans from which to choose. Among them are the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Now, the pair go head to head in a U-drag race to determine which is the quickest in this unique testing protocol.

As a reminder, this sort of race is exactly what it sounds like. The cars compete in a traditional drag race before turning around at the big end and racing back to the start line. In essence, the event tests acceleration, braking, cornering, and how easy it is to put power back down after a curve.

More: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Vs BMW M4 Competition Isn’t Much Of A Competition

The contestants combine to make 2,326 horsepower (1,734 kW), so no doubt this is going to be a fast event. The Lucid has all of the numbers on its side. It makes 1,234 hp (920 kW) and 1,430 lb-ft (1936 Nm) of torque. The Porsche brings 1,092 hp (814 kW) and 988 lb-ft (1,338 Nm) to the table, but only when the driver is using the “Boost” button. In addition, the Porsche puts that power down with two motors while the Lucid uses three.

If things sound a little lop-sided on paper, the track only makes that truth more evident. From the moment the flag drops in race one, the Lucid rockets ahead and leaves the Porsche for dead. The pair actually end up entering the turn at similar moments but the Air Sapphire is just so much smoother on the exit that the Taycan never comes close to catching it.

In race two, the results are similar but the path there is different. This time, the Porsche leaps out in front and the Lucid spends the entire quarter-mile reeling it in. Then, in the bend, the Air Sapphire is, again, smoother. While the Porsche is struggling to exit the turn without a loss of traction, the Lucid is leaving the area.

Interestingly, the Taycan proved quicker from 0-60 mph (2.1 seconds) in the second race than the Lucid did (2.2 seconds) in either one. The Lucid is powerful enough to win at the end of the drag strip with a 9.2-second performance. The Air also cornered slightly harder at 1.34g vs the Porsche’s 1.33g. In the end, it was one full second faster throughout the whole test. That’s a seriously impressive feat considering how quick the Porsche is. 

Image Credit: Edmunds

Update 12/9: About a month after Lucid Motors began accepting orders for its second model and first-ever SUV, the Gravity, the Saudi-backed American startup officially kicked off series production on December 5. “Today marks an exciting milestone for our company. Production of the Lucid Gravity is now underway at our factory in Arizona!” the company said in a post on X. “This milestone is a celebration of the hard work by our passionate and dedicated team to bring this groundbreaking SUV to life,” it added.

With production now underway, the next big question is when the first deliveries will take place. We’ve reached out to Lucid to inquire about the timeline for these initial deliveries and will update this story once we receive a response.

Original story follows below.

Today marks an exciting landmark for our company. Production of the Lucid Gravity is now underway at our factory in Arizona!​

This milestone is a celebration of the hard work by our passionate and dedicated team to bring this groundbreaking SUV to life. Its combination of space… pic.twitter.com/ItJsOL3H3Y

— Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors) December 5, 2024

Four years after teasing the Gravity SUV, Lucid is finally gearing up to launch the model. As part of this effort, the company has announced pricing and revealed orders will open on November 7.

Lucid didn’t delve into specifics, but confirmed the model will initially be offered in Grand Touring guise for $94,900. Production is slated to begin late this year and the electric crossover promises to have more than 800 hp (597 kW / 811 PS) as well as a range in excess of 440 miles (708 km).

More: 2025 Lucid Gravity Goes After Model X With 440-Mile Range And Sub-$80,000 Price

That’s not much to go on, but the company has previously revealed the model will be offered with an adjustable air suspension and 20- to 23-inch wheels. We can also expect a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of less than 3.5 seconds and a towing capacity of up to 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg).

The minimalist interior focuses on screens as drivers are greeted by a sizable curved display as well as a dedicated infotainment system. They’re joined by a two-spoke steering wheel and seating for up to seven people.

An assortment of options will be available including heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, a 22-speaker premium audio system, and a four-zone climate control system. The frunk can even be equipped with a seat that can accommodate two adults, so you have a place to relax while your kids play soccer.

We can expect to learn more when the configurator is launched next month, but Lucid said current owners will be given priority when it comes to deliveries. The company also announced a more affordable Gravity Touring is scheduled to arrive late next year with a base price of $79,900.

Drag races are great for seeing how fast a car can accelerate, but a U-drag race tests braking and cornering too. Now, Tesla and Lucid are going head to head with their most potent sedans ever. These are two dramatically different cars but each boasts a four-figure horsepower claim and the performance to back that up.

Tesla’s Model S Plaid packs 1,020 horsepower (760 kW) and the example in this video has the optional $20,000 track pack that includes bigger brakes for better stopping power. The Lucid Air Sapphire comes standard with 1,234 horsepower (920 kW) and multiple track modes including drag strip, hot lap, and endurance. The Air also has some 400 lb-ft (541 Nm) of additional torque.

More: Lucid Air Sapphire Makes A Dodge Demon 170 Look Slow

In race one of this Edmunds U-Drag, we see the Lucid leverage every bit of its extra power and twist to get out to a lead early. In fact, it’s powerful enough that it keeps that lead all the way through the quarter of a mile and into the first turn. Despite having huge brakes, the Tesla can’t reel the Lucid in enough at the bend and the Air Sapphire takes off for the finish line with lots of room between the sedans.

Race two plays out largely the same but with one key differentiator. The Tesla actually begins to reel in the Lucid on the back straight but isn’t quick enough to catch it before the end. Still, it’s an interesting result given that the Lucid has a top speed north of 200 mph (322 km/h). Don’t feel too bad if you’re a big Tesla fan though. This set of races set a new U-Drag record.

In fact, the Lucid Air Sapphire is so quick at this test that it’s a full 1.7 seconds faster than the second-place car, a McLaren 765LT. For its part, the Tesla managed fourth overall, losing to both the 765LT and to a McLaren 750S with a best time of 29.8 seconds.

Image Credit: Edmunds