Californian startup Lucid took a daring method for its introduction to the world, launching in 2021 with the exceptional Air, a big electrical luxurious sedan that entered a small, aggressive phase of the auto market. Regardless of garnering tons of acclaim—together with from me—the Air has been a sluggish vendor and the model has been dropping a ton of cash. Enter the brand new Lucid Gravity, a three-row SUV with tremendous promising specs that may hopefully flip the corporate’s fortunes round.
Surprisingly, the Gravity rides on a very new platform that was developed particularly for SUVs as an alternative of simply sharing the Air’s structure. It additionally makes use of next-gen variations of Lucid’s motors, that are probably the most energy dense manufacturing models on this planet, and an up to date 900-volt electrical structure. In its prime trim Lucid says the Gravity will hit 60 mph in beneath 3.5 seconds, have a payload capability of greater than 1,500 kilos and be capable of tow at the very least 6,000 kilos. There’s an elective adaptive air suspension package deal that Lucid calls Zero Gravity, which could have guide peak changes to help with off-roading.
Lucid says the Gravity has a brand new battery pack that’s smaller, lighter and makes use of fewer treasured supplies, although no specs have been given. Utilizing a 350-kW quick charger the Gravity will be capable of achieve 200 miles of vary in simply quarter-hour, and it ought to take much less vitality to cost than present Lucids.
As we’ve come to anticipate from Lucid, the standout determine is the Gravity’s vary. Lucid is focusing on a most vary of over 440 miles for the Gravity’s prime trim, which not solely is way past some other electrical SUV, however is larger than each different EV interval save for the Lucid Air. That determine is much more spectacular when in comparison with the longest vary variations of different three-row SUVs—the Kia EV9 (304 miles), Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV (305 miles), Rivian R1S (352 miles) and Tesla Mannequin X (348 miles)—and people ranges are principally reserved for the lower-powered trims.
Serving to obtain that large vary is a drag coefficient of simply 0.24, which matches the Mannequin X and bests each different three-row SUV (and most SUVs interval). Not like the Mannequin X, although, the Gravity didn’t must resort to a slippery coupe-like profile to realize that determine, as an alternative going for a standard two-box silhouette. The Gravity is deceptively low and lengthy, measuring 198.2 inches in size and 65.2 inches in peak, making it an inch longer than a Kia EV9 and a smidge decrease than a Mercedes-Benz R-Class. It’s bought a stubby nostril and brief entrance overhang, a gently sloping low roofline that ends in a dramatic rear spoiler, and a beneficiant rear overhang. Broad shoulders, massive wheels that tapering roof give the Gravity a very scorching stance, particularly when considered from the rear.
The design of the Gravity has developed fairly a bit from the preliminary idea that was teased in 2020, however it sticks intently to the design language established by the Air sedan. It’s bought an aluminum blade up entrance that acts like a furrowed forehead for the LED headlights identical to on the Air, and the taillights are nearly similar to the Air’s as nicely. The Gravity’s roof is completed in a contrasting aluminum end, with some fascinating trim on the floating D-pillar. The Gravity’s doorways are frameless, and the aspect glass seems tremendous flush.
Area is paramount to any three-row SUV, and the Gravity has it in spades. The second and third rows each fold flat to offer greater than 112 cubic toes of cargo house, 30 cubic toes greater than the EV9 and solely 10 cubic toes shy of a Chevy Tahoe. Should you don’t go for the third row, the Gravity has 120 cubic toes of house. The Gravity additionally has an enormous frunk that holds 8 cubic toes of stuff, with a big entrance opening and hinges that maintain the hood at a near-90-degree angle so that folks can sit and lounge within the frunk.
The second-row bench slides fore and aft for extra legroom, and passengers within the center seats can use tray tables that deploy from the entrance seatbacks. The Gravity’s panoramic sunroof stretches all the best way again to the third row, and the windshield flows seamlessly right into a pano roof panel as within the Air. (It doesn’t look like the Air’s annoying solar visors have been redesigned, although.) All of Lucid’s photos of the Gravity present a three-seat bench for the second row, however a pair of captain’s chairs can be elective down the road.
One of many largest gripes with the Air has been Lucid’s infotainment system. Whereas gorgeous to take a look at, it had a lot of teething points starting from software program bugs and lacking options to only plain unhealthy person performance. Over-the-air updates have fastened a number of the issues, however it’s nonetheless not good. The Gravity introduces Lucid’s next-generation person interface and management setup, and it seems to be a lot improved.
A curved 34-inch show sits atop the dashboard, and it seems as one seamless display screen as an alternative of three models put collectively like within the Air. The left half of the display screen sits in entrance of the motive force and acts because the gauge cluster, whereas the best half is touch-operated and is used for navigation, media or Apple CarPlay. Left of the gauges are contact controls for generally used features just like the lights, defroster and tailgate, and the Gravity has a bodily stalk for the wipers and switch indicators. The steering wheel is a brand new squircle form, and it has new touchpads to manage the infotainment and cruise management that look a lot nicer than the Air’s annoying switches.
One of many Air’s coolest options is the Pilot Panel, a separate vertically oriented touchscreen within the heart console that may be hidden away within the sprint on the contact of a button. Sadly the Gravity’s Pilot Panel doesn’t appear to cover away, however it’s a lot bigger and formed like a pill, and the menus have been redesigned to be a lot simpler to make use of at a look. There’s a brand new management bar on the backside of the display screen to simply entry completely different settings, and the bottom of the display screen has bodily switches for the local weather controls and quantity.
Past the expertise, the Gravity’s inside has a number of cool design touches. There’s actual wooden and aluminum trim, and Lucid mixes fancy leather-based with sustainable supplies like alpaca wool. Sadly, it doesn’t look like the Gravity could have break up colour schemes for the inside just like the Air, however a lot of colour is used all through and the seats have cool stitching and perforation patterns. The middle console has a glass cowl that slides open to disclose the cupholders and storage cubbies, and Lucid’s cute bear brand is utilized in a number of locations.
Manufacturing of the Gravity will start in late 2024 on the identical Arizona manufacturing unit that at present builds the Air. Lucid says the Gravity will begin at beneath $80,000 for the bottom mannequin, aligning it with the Air, although the top-end Dream Version will doubtless are available round $150,000. We’ve bought our boots on the bottom on the LA auto present the place the Gravity is making its public debut, so we’ll hopefully study extra particulars quickly. Fingers crossed there can be a high-performance Sapphire mannequin, too.
