PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN GT4 4.0 / Living beyond the edge
The Lucid Air’s advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), named DreamDrive, features a comprehensive sensor suite, including a Driver Monitoring System (DMS), which is standard on the Lucid Air Dream Edition only. Taking into account that Tesla does not use LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), this is the first system of its kind to offer 32 sensors, covering vision, radar, ultrasonics, and high-resolution LIDAR in an EV. The use of LIDAR necessitates a complete dependence on geofenced HD mapping, which is far less ambitious than Tesla’s vision-oriented approach to driver assistance and self-driving that is not dependent on geo-fenced HD mapping.
The Silicon Valley startup claims that the Air’s headlamps, composed of literally thousands of “light channels”, provides the brightest, most precise and advanced lighting system ever. Similar to other luxury car manufacturers, digital steering of light direction is possible by digitally switching light channels in different directions, improving visibility and enhancing safety.
Lucid has collaborated with Amazon to bring an advanced Alexa built-in implementation directly into the Lucid Air. This enables the driver and passengers to enjoy the full Alexa experience on the go – including navigation, calling, streaming media, smart home control, and adding items to a shopping cart or to-do list. Alexa also provides localised vehicle control features via voice
command. Over time, Lucid Motors plans to expand on the Alexa feature set with its own built-in Overthe-Air (OTA) updates.
LAST WORD
The Lucid Air is a necessary and welcome addition to the luxury sedan segment, regardless of it being an electric car, or perhaps because it is an electric car. While comparisons with the Tesla Model S will persist with “Tesla Killer” headlines, we expect the Lucid Air to compete more with luxury sedans in the same price range, and less so with the Model S, which is nearly half the price for pretty much the same specifications. As such the Lucid Air is expected to go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz S Class, BMW 7-Series, Porsche Panamera and Porsche Taycan, all of
available Q2 2021, at $169,000 (approximately R2,849,179)
available mid-2021, from $139,000 (approximately R2,343,407)
available late 2021, from $95,000 (approximately R1,601,609)
available in 2022, below $80,000 (approximately R1,348,724) which compete in the same price range. These are the true competitors, and based on the Lucid Air’s unmatched performance, extended range, cutting edge technology and post-luxury interior, this luxury sedan promises to be a compelling option for those buyers who value technology and performance as much as they do opulent interior design.
In terms of performance alone, the Lucid Air is in a league of its own, standing as further testimony to the phenomenal advantages of electric propulsion. In the words of Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of Lucid Motors: “With the Lucid Air, we have created a halo car for the entire industry, one which shows the advancements that are possible by pushing the boundaries of EV technology and performance to new levels.” We agree. Now can we drive it, please?