Lucid Air passes the Canadian winter check with flying colours

I had the chance to drive the Lucid Air Touring for just a little greater than per week throughout the holidays, and I can say with confidence that the California-designed and engineered electrical luxurious sedan passes the Canadian winter check with flying colours.

I’m impressed. Let’s dive into it.

I had by no means had the prospect to drive a Lucid earlier than. Our personal Scooter Doll is our fundamental reporter on the Lucid beat, and he’s an enormous fan of the Air, to say the least. His fundamental grievance has been the software program, which has been bettering as of late, so I used to be excited to present it a shot with a extra full model of the automobile.

Since launching in Quebec, that they had tried to get me in a automobile, however we couldn’t make it occur. Finally, they informed me that they had one for me on December twenty third.

Though it was the vacations, I couldn’t cross on the chance and went to select the glossy crimson Air Touring for my vacation travels.

I’ve been following the corporate for a very long time. From their transition as Atieva, an electrical powertrain and power storage firm, to Lucid, an entire electrical automobile maker. Attending to drive one felt like a very long time coming.

Lucid Air Touring

Now, I say it passes the Canadian winter check, and if you’re from the area, you would possibly say: “What winter?” Winters are certainly turning into milder round right here, however I had the automobile for simply over per week, and the timing was excellent for a real winter check.

A number of hours after selecting up the automobile in Montreal, I needed to drive it again house to Shawinigan in the midst of an honest snowstorm. Two hours within the snow and the left lane on the 40 East wasn’t even plowed.

Usually talking, a brand new automobile I’m not acquainted with plus a snowstorm equals being additional cautious, and I used to be clearly cautious, however the Lucid Air’s spectacular driving dynamics shortly gave me an unbelievable quantity of confidence.

At 5,200 lbs, it’s a heavy automobile, however it’s an extremely well-balanced 5,200 lbs.

The Air Touring is simply the third strongest model of Lucid’s flagship sedan, however I by no means felt like I wanted extra energy, and that is sensible, contemplating it’s pushing 620 hp and may speed up from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

I used to be capable of cross autos simply, even within the snow, and all the time felt in full management of the automobile. It’s a enjoyable, snug drive.

Talking of consolation, the Lucid Air is a real luxurious sedan with all of the consolation options you’d anticipate and extra. The extent of customization can also be spectacular for the seats. You might modify them for hours to get them excellent.

The backseat can also be spectacular. Lucid did an incredible job optimizing the inside. The backseat looks like a limousine:

It’s an incredible automobile for drivers, for passengers, however the trunk area is the place some folks criticize the Lucid Air.

I perceive why, however I might argue that trunk area isn’t an actual drawback. The trunk opening is one. This can be very small and quick:

Nevertheless, when it comes to quantity, it’s greater than first rate. You simply want to have the ability to get issues in. Because of Lucid’s extraordinarily compact motors, there are very deep hidden compartments on the backside of the trunk and frunk.

It leaves loads of room for baggage, however once more, it wants to suit the opening first.

For our travels, it was simply my girlfriend, our cat, and I, however I might see this automobile simply becoming 4 folks and baggage for per week.

That’s a superb factor as a result of it is a nice highway journey automobile, due to its unbelievable effectivity.

The Lucid Air Touring is rated at an EPA vary of 406 miles (653 km), however like another EVs or gas-powered autos, your mileage might fluctuate, and the chilly impacts the mileage badly.

As I stated, our winters have gotten milder, however I had the right Canadian winter check situation on Christmas day. We drove from Shawinigan to Quebec Metropolis, drove across the metropolis, parked for hours within the chilly with out charging, after which went again to Shawinigan on a single cost.

General, it was simply over 400 km (250 miles) and I arrived house with 27 km:

That may not appear too spectacular for a 400-mile automobile, however the temperature on the drive ranged from -18 to -8°C (-1 to 18°F). When you’ve got drivem EVs in these temperatures, you recognize that that is spectacular.

What’s most spectacular is that I didn’t need to adapt my driving due to the spectacular vary and effectivity.

After I drive lengthy distances in an electrical automobile within the chilly, I might usually cut back my velocity to be able to lengthen the vary, however on this case, I obtained a fairly good thought of the effectivity on the drive to Quebec Metropolis, so I used to be assured on my approach again that I might make it with out stopping to cost.

It enabled me to drive on the freeway at my normal 119 km/h on cruise management and make it with out breaking a sweat.

Electrek’s Take

That’s a game-changer. There’s no compromise. At Electrek, we like to emphasise that vary isn’t all the things with EVs. Non-EV drivers are likely to assume that you just want greater than 400 miles to have a viable EV. That’s fallacious except you drive 400 miles or extra in a single go typically, which isn’t how most individuals use vehicles.

A 200-mile EV with fast-charging is a good answer for most individuals as you get up with a full cost each day and for the few instances a 12 months whenever you drive lengthy distances, you’ll be able to cease for a fast 20-40-minute cost, which allows you to drive 300-400 miles in a single day simply.

Nevertheless, issues change in excessive chilly. When you begin hitting temperatures under -15°C (5°F), the vary begins to be affected badly, and that’s when an extended vary turns into tremendous helpful.

Truthfully, I’ve been driving EVs within the Canadian chilly for nearly a decade, and it hasn’t been a significant difficulty for me. For those who adapt your driving, you’ll be OK, and over that decade, I’ve additionally seen vary prediction and effectivity bettering, which assist with this difficulty.

However now, when you’ve got the cash, you even have one other answer: the Lucid Air. It’s actually an incredible, no compromise automobile, so long as you have got the cash because the Lucid Air Touring at $78,900 USD ($109,300. CAD).

For those who do, it could be laborious to discover a draw back in comparison with different equally priced autos. As beforehand talked about, the software program has been a difficulty with early variations of the Air.

I’ve solely ever skilled the newest model of Lucid’s software program and regardless of some points, I discovered it greater than first rate, particularly in comparison with legacy automakers.

It’s outfitted with Apple Carplay for individuals who prefer it, however the native navigation labored nice for me, and it additionally has a local Spotify app. Personally, I don’t want rather more than that. It’s not all excellent although. On two events, I had difficulty connecting my cellphone to the automobile and I needed to disconnect and reconnect it a number of instances for it to work.

There’s additionally loads of room for UI optimization. I want to see one thing like media controls for the passenger on the backside of the middle show or the suitable of the highest show.