2023 Lucid Air

MSRP Range: $82,400 - $179,000 ^{Price range reflects Base MSRP for various trim levels, not including options or fees.}

+67

good

7.8/10

edmunds TESTED

The Lucid Air is a solid first effort from a brand-new automaker. It's insanely quick, spacious and is capable of driving farther on a single charge than any other EV on the market. But it's far from perfect. We've encountered some issues with the car's technology features and overall build quality, both of which might damper one's expectations for a stress-free ownership experience.

#3 out of 3

Super luxury all-wheel-drive electric cars

12 Owner Reviews

Pricing

Select year

Total MSRP^{This price includes a $1,500 destination fee charged by the manufacturer.}	$83,900
Edmunds suggests you pay	$83,900
Federal EV Tax Credit ^{The Pure trim does not qualify for the Clean Vehicle Credit.}	not eligible

Choose the trim, color, options, packages and more for your 2023 Lucid Air.

Build and Price

2024
2023
2022

2023 Lucid Air Review

byBrian Wong^{Senior Reviews Editor
Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.},

rating written byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

Pros

Excellent real-world range
Supercar-like acceleration
Comfortable and smooth in day-to-day driving
Spacious cabin with ample storage

Cons

Braking and handling aren't up to class standards
Interior quality and fit and finish might not meet expectations
In-car tech can be glitchy at times

What's new

High-performance Sapphire version could join the lineup
Part of the first Air generation introduced for 2022

Overview

The Lucid Air is the first vehicle from this new American electric vehicle manufacturer. It debuted last year and generated plenty of hype. First, there's the power: potentially more than 1,000 horsepower. Then there's the maximum potential range: more than 500 miles on a full charge. Oh, and did we mention that it's a spacious luxury sedan packed with technology features, too?

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Lucid Air EV Insights

Trim:

Air Pure

Range

410 miles

EPA Estimated Range

EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 349 miles after 8 years.^{Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.}

Round-trip

One-way

Estimated range map^{This map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Ashburn, Virginia. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | Leaflet} from

Charging at Home

10 hours^{Standard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.}

Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

SAE Combo

Plug Type

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 100,000 miles^{The federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.}

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$125

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

Restrictions:
Dominion Energy offers EV owners a rebate of up to $125 towards the cost of a Level 2 charging station.
To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements:
- Receive electricity from Dominion Energy.
- Have an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
- Networked/Smart charging capabilities to program the station to off-peak periods and respond to managed charging events
- You also earn a $40 e-gift card on the anniversary of your enrollment every year you remain enrolled.
To learn more, visit https://www.chargingrewards.com/faqs/dominion-ev/
Restrictions: This program is an automobile charging agreement between Lucid Motors and Electrify America. Customers who order or reserve a new 2023 Lucid Air Pure or Touring will receive 1 year of complimentary charging on the Electrify America network. Charging plan enrollment required. Offer is non-transferrable. Must reserve by 10/31/23. Contact Lucid Sales U.S. for details.

See All EV incentives

Cost to Drive

$46/mo

Air

$224/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work ^{This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.}

If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station ^{With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.}

Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,000 or more ^{If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.}

Learn more about EV charging

See All EV Insights

For 2023, Lucid is adding to the Air lineup with the Air Sapphire, a performance-oriented variant that targets the Model S Plaid's drag-strip crown. Complete details on the Sapphire have yet to be released by Lucid, but the company says this three-motor, torque-vectoring version of the Air will produce more than 1,200 horsepower. On a drag strip, that will potentially enable the Air Sapphire to rip from 0 to 60 mph in fewer than 2 seconds and clear the quarter mile in fewer than 9 seconds. Lucid also equips the Sapphire with high-performance suspension, brakes and tires to complement the extra power.

Of course, not everyone needs (or can afford) a 1,200-hp luxury EV. That's why we're actually more interested in the lower-cost Air models that are finally being delivered for the 2023 model year. The Air Pure and Air Touring are the ones we think you'd want to consider as rivaling the BMW i7, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S to be your next luxury EV. Check out our Expert Rating below to get our test team's in-depth report on the Air's performance, comfort, real-world range and more.

What's it like to live with?

It's an interesting experience, to be sure. Our test team bought a $140,000 Lucid Air Grand Touring to join our long-term test fleet. Check out our Lucid Air long-term road test to read what our car experts like (and don't like) about driving an Air for a year and 20,000 miles. You can also see a few videos starring our Lucid Air on Edmunds' YouTube channel.

Edmunds Expert Rating

good

7.8/10

Edmunds Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8.0/10

How does the Air drive? We've tested a few Air versions, including the 2022 Air Dream Edition Range and a Grand Touring. In Edmunds' testing, the 933-hp Dream Edition went from 0 to 60 mph in blindingly quick 2.8 seconds. That's quicker than most vehicles we've tested. The Air's quarter-mile time, in case you're interested, was 10.3 seconds at 132.2 mph. The Grand Touring we tested was slower but still outrageously quick by most measures, needing 3.2 seconds to sprint to 60 mph.

The major performance-limiting factor: the Air's relatively narrow all-season tires. These are great for efficiency and allow the Lucid to 500 miles on a single charge, but they have nowhere near the grip needed to perform at a dynamic level, especially considering the car's considerable weight. Grippier summer tires, which are a no-cost option for this model, would improve the Lucid's braking and handling. It otherwise failed to impress against class standards, at least at our test track.

But the Air is plenty quick and smooth around town. Various levels of power are available depending on your selected drive mode, and even the base Smooth setting provides more than enough power for the street. The Air also offers excellent one-pedal driving, which allows you to accelerate and slow using just the accelerator pedal. You can also adjust the amount of regenerative braking to suit your preference.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the Air? The Lucid Air's interior is pleasing, but we expect more than that from a luxury vehicle at this price point. For example, the seats offer a lot of adjustment and are comfortable on long drives, but overall support is a bit lacking. Wind and road noise is minimal on the highway, but that made some creaks from some ill-fitting parts on the doors and steering wheel in our test car even more noticeable. The ride quality is generally smooth but can get a bit busy on bumpy roads.

Unlike many manufacturers that have gone to full touchscreen control for climate systems, Lucid has dedicated buttons for the temperature and fan speed, making it easy to make adjustments without taking your eyes off the road. You can also adjust the vents manually rather than having to interact with an often overcomplicated touchscreen interface like you do in a Tesla. However, we've found the Air's air conditioning struggles to keep the cabin cool on hot summer days. The car's all-glass roof might look cool but it lets in a lot of solar heat.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

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2023 Lucid Air pricing

in Ashburn, VA

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Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The Air's interior is huge and has more passenger space than just about every other EV on the road. There's plenty of headroom and elbow room in both rows, and rear legroom is particularly generous. You can really stretch out, though models with bigger battery packs have slightly higher floors in the back. Wide-opening doors make getting in and out easy.

Taller drivers may not find the driving position ideal. The seat doesn't seem to go down far enough, meaning tall drivers will be looking right through the tint line at the top of the windshield. Visibility is a mixed bag. The large side windows and a large glass roof let in lots of natural light, but then there are the really thick front pillars and relatively wide-but-short rear window that hamper outward visibility. Some controls are a letdown too. The switches on the steering wheel, for example, feel cheap and clumsy to operate at times.

Technology

6.0/10

How’s the tech? Our original take on the 2022 Lucid Air's software and driver assist systems was pretty negative. The infotainment system took a long time to load, and we encountered persistent Bluetooth connection errors. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto weren't supported at the time either. We also had multiple issues with the collision alert system that necessitated system restarts. Additionally, the Air's voice command system lacked the full functionality offered by some rival cars.

Since then, however, Lucid has introduced many over-the-air updates to address most of these issues. The touchscreens boot up and respond quickly, and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration is now included. Operation for the advanced driving aids has been refined as well. Still, there's plenty of room for improvement. Some of our editors have found the CarPlay integration to be buggy, and it only displays on the small upper touchscreen. Also, the Air's steering with the lane centering system (Highway Assist) turned on can be annoyingly corrective when you just want to make a small steering adjustment.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? As with interior room, you can tell Lucid's engineers spent a lot of time thinking about how to best use the available space. The Air offers 26.1 cubic feet of total cargo space that's split between a 16.2-cubic-foot rear trunk and a 9.9-cubic-foot front trunk (the frunk). The frunk is larger than those in the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.

While the Air is not a hatchback like the Model S or Mercedes-Benz EQS, the trunk is plenty big. The trunk isn't very tall, but it is deep with an opening that's essentially the entire width of the car. The load-in height is also quite low with no liftover to contend with, another plus. Interior storage, too, is impressive thanks to sizable door pockets and a clever center console. There's even a hidden storage bin behind the power-retractable lower center screen.

The wide-opening doors and spacious rear cabin make it easier to get car seats in and out of the Lucid than rivals. Rear-facing child safety seats of any size should fit, even with taller front occupants. The anchors are easily accessible too.

Range and Efficiency

9.5/10

How are the range and efficiency? We initially tested a 2022 Dream Edition Range that had EPA-estimated 520 miles of range when equipped with the car's 19-inch wheels. While it didn't achieve its EPA estimate, the Lucid Air was the first EV to cross the coveted 500-mile barrier on our real-world EV standardized range test, with a strong showing of 505 miles.

More recently, we tested a 2022 Air Grand Touring. Perplexingly, this one underperformed to a greater degree. It had an EPA-estimated 516 miles of range but only went 438 miles on a single charge. Still, "only 438 miles" is still impressive for an EV, especially one making this much power. Part of the magic is the Air's high efficiency. In our testing, we measured consumption of 31.1 kWh of electricity used per 100 miles of driving from our Grand Touring test car. In a similar theme, that's almost 20% worse than its EPA estimate of 26 kWh/100 miles (remember that the lower the kWh number, the more efficient an EV is) but still very efficient overall.

Value

7.5/10

Is the Air a good value? We think the Lucid Air Dream Edition's build quality is better than the Tesla Model S' was when it was introduced. But the car still suffers from some early teething issues. Our test car had wide panel gaps in the doors, and the left rear door required slamming to stay shut. We also had issues with the exterior handle of the driver's door not working.

While there are some nice materials for the upholstery and trim, some commonly touched controls such as the window switches and steering wheel buttons would feel cheap on a $30,000 sedan, let alone one costing six figures. On the upside, Lucid does offer a long warranty. The car includes four-year/50,000-mile basic and eight-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties. The battery itself is warrantied for eight years/50,000 miles too. Even better, Lucid offers four years/50,000 miles of roadside assistance and three years of free DC fast charging at Electrify America stations.

Wildcard

9.0/10

Few cars on the road get attention like the Lucid, and usually those cars have big spoilers or are painted bright blue or orange. It's cool and clean and futuristic without looking overwrought or too out there. It also doesn't resemble anything else on the road, and the range number has a certain cachet.

We just wish it were more entertaining to drive. The tires that help it get that 500-mile range quash any fun-to-drive factor outside of a straight line. The Air is quick, but it's not that much quicker than most of its rivals, many of which are far sportier and more fun to drive.

Which Air does Edmunds recommend?

We expect the Air's full lineup will be available for the 2023 model year. As such, consider getting the Touring trim. You won't quite have the same bragging rights as if you owned the Grand Touring or Sapphire, but otherwise you'll be getting a luxury EV with plenty of power and range.

Lucid Air models

The 2023 Lucid Air is an electric luxury sedan available in five trim levels: Pure, Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Performance and the new-for-2023 Sapphire. Keep reading for our editors' rundown of what you get from each version, including power and standard features.

Pure
The base-level Pure uses a single motor that drives the rear wheels and is powered by an 88-kWh battery pack. The combo has a total output of 480 horsepower and an EPA-estimated range of up to 410 miles on a single charge. A dual-motor Pure configuration is also available. Other feature highlights include:

19-inch wheels
Adaptive suspension dampers (enhance ride comfort and handling)
DC fast-charging capability of more than 300 kW (Level 3 charging)
Onboard AC charger with up to 19.2-kW capability (Level 2 charging)
Two-tone simulated-leather upholstery
Automatic climate control
Navigation
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Hardware that supports future driver-aid updates
DreamDrive

Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Blind-spot camera (displays an image of the vehicle's blind spot in the instrument panel when you activate a turn signal)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front and can also react to traffic signs and set speed)
Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

Touring
The Touring model uses the same battery pack but adds one more motor and even more features, including:

620 horsepower
EPA-estimated range of up to 425 miles
Dual-motor all-wheel drive
20-inch wheels
Two-tone leather upholstery
Panoramic glass roof

Grand Touring
The Grand Touring trim has all-wheel drive but includes more powerful motors and a larger 112-kWh battery pack that gives it an estimated 516 miles of range. Other features include:

819 horsepower
21-inch wheels
Upgraded audio system
DreamDrive Pro

Surround-view parking camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Air and its surroundings in tight parking situations)
Hardware support for future semi-automated driving capability

Lucid promises it will update this feature in the future with more advanced driver aid systems.

Grand Touring Performance
The more powerful version of the Grand Touring has the same battery pack and dual-motor AWD as well but features:

1,050 horsepower
446 miles of range

Sapphire
Tops the Air lineup by way of:

An additional electric motor to raise output to more than 1,200 hp
Claimed 0-60 mph acceleration under 2 seconds
Akebono carbon-ceramic brakes
Wider, high-performance tires
Sport-tuned suspension
Microsuede-wrapped steering wheel

Lucid Air Reviews

Owner Reviews

3.6

12 reviews

5(50%)

4(8%)

3(8%)

2(16%)

1(18%)

Write a vehicle review See all 12 reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Simply Amazing!!

Vicks, 02/11/2023

2022 Lucid Air Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

Range, efficiency, packaging absolutely amazing! Much better than my Model S. Software has some minor gremlins but they have released a major update that fixed most issues. Looks very eye catching! Super comfortable seats. Once they get the software sorted out, it would be a 5 star car. I always get updates every few weeks. So slowly getting there.

Better with Time

hmp10, 04/17/2023

2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

At 14 months and almost 17,000 miles, our Dream Air Performance hit a Subaru WRX that made a left turn in front of us. Both cars were totaled, but we opened the doors and stepped out of the undeformed cabin with nary a scratch, ache, or pain at the time or in subsequent days. This early-production car (No. 154) went through almost a year of grueling software teething pains but was …

Car and service both exemplary

Bill Hewitt, 03/20/2023

2022 Lucid Air Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

I bought the Lucid for it's styling and range, and never really thought about the beast within- 620 linear horses gives you get up and go even my 911S doesn't have. I constantly have to check my speed because the ride is so smooth. A few minor issues out of the gate, but it's a new car and a new car company. Danny, my service advisor in Natick, kept me up to date, made sure they knew …

canada lucid owner

Bunzy, 01/08/2023

2022 Lucid Air Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD)

Simply , based on my 6k km long experience ; I believe my Lucid is a great car and I am very happy I got one .

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Lucid Air, so we've included reviews for other years of the Air since its last redesign.

See all 12 reviews of the Lucid Air

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2023 Lucid Air videos

U-DRAG RACE: Mercedes-AMG EQE vs. Lucid Air Grand Touring | Quarter Mile, Handling & More!

ALISTAIR WEAVER: Oh! (EXCITED, HIGH-PITCHED) Can we do it? Can we do it? JONATHAN ELFALAN: Come on! Come on! ALISTAIR WEAVER: Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! [SHRIEKING] JONATHAN ELFALAN: Woo-hoo! ALISTAIR WEAVER: Hi, I'm Alistair. That's Jonathan. This is "Edmund's" very own Lucid Air Grand Touring. And that is the new Mercedes AMG EQE. And this is "Edmunds U-Drags." Let's get on with it. [ENERGETIC MUSIC] JONATHAN ELFALAN: And we're back again. Today we have our very own long term 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring with only 819 horsepower and 885 pounds feet of torque. Weighing a whopping 5,226 pounds going up against the 2023 Mercedes AMG EQE with 617 horsepower, 701 pounds feet of torque, and a hefty 5,587 pounds. Is this even a fair fight? These two battery-powered bullies are going head to head in our Edmunds U-Drags track, which starts with a quarter mile drag. Then they hit the brakes, do a 180, and power back to start-finish. At the end of the first run-- so you don't fight in the comments-- we'll swap drivers and lanes and do it again. And for everything else, check out edmunds.com/udrags. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Let's deal with the elephant in the room. The last time we ran the Lucid Air in an Edmunds U-Drag, we got a bit of banter from Lucid on Twitter, who said, why did we run the car on the 19-inch rims? Well, to be honest, we ran it on the 19-inch rims because those were the wheels which the car was provided. And they were provided so that we could maximize the range, and this very car did 438 miles in the famous Edmunds EV range test. But Lucid also offers a 21-inch wheel with a more aggressive tire that should perform better in conditions like this, but won't go as far on a single charge. We tried to buy some of those tires and failed. We also tried to borrow some from Lucid and failed there, too. So we're back running on the tires with which the car was provided, because that's an important rule of Edmunds U-Drags. We only run the car on tires that you can buy directly from the manufacturer. Long-winded explanation, but here we go. So how do you launch a Lucid Air? Well, to be honest, pretty simple. You have to set the car up and put it into Sprint mode. Confirm that I am, in fact, a skilled, advanced driver. Oh yes. Whatever the T-shirt says. Now to activate launch control, put the left foot on the brake, smash my right foot into the accelerator. A cute little bear for California will appear on the dashboard, and away we go. Let's do it. JONATHAN ELFALAN: I am in the new Mercedes AMG EQE. Pretty cool car. Electric AMGs are a new breed of performance Mercedes, so very impressive performance. Anyways, launch control, pretty simple. I'm going to go ahead and select the Sport Plus drive mode. So they have a nice convenient little AMG button down here. Sport Plus, that sets everything-- drive, suspension, sound for more drama, and a few other parameters-- to full sport. You can either leave the traction stability control in sport, or you can turn it completely off. I like it off. This is an all-wheel drive car. I like it as loose as possible. So yeah, those are my settings. I think this car has a really good chance of beating that Lucid. It's just a much more well-rounded package. It has the power. It has the tires. And frankly, it's got AMG handling. So yeah, I don't think it's going to be close. [ENERGETIC MUSIC] RADIO: Five, four, three, two, one. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Oh, we got a better launch, but surely, the Lucid can come fighting back. Go. And it is. The horsepower is taking over. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh, here he comes. Oh! [ENGINES REVVING] This is so fast. But he's not going to be able to stop. [GRUNTS] [TIRES SCREECHING] ALISTAIR WEAVER: Right. Turn it, fire it out. No, no, no, no-- BOTH: No, no, no, no! JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh, here he comes! Can we hold it out? ALISTAIR WEAVER: But he's coming back! [JONATHAN YELLING] He's coming back! (EXCITED, HIGH-PITCHED) Can we do it? Can we do it? Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! Woo-hoo! Sorry about the squealing. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh man, that's a photo finish. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Mate, who won? JONATHAN ELFALAN: Talk about coming from behind, man. That was-- that was impressive. ALISTAIR WEAVER: It was just like getting the thing stopped. And I overshot a little bit, but then I just got it turned, and got back on the power. And yeah, I just-- you could just see it kind of reeling it in. I was kind of squealing a bit. Didn't sound very alpha, to be honest. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Wait, you were squealing? Or the tires were squealing? ALISTAIR WEAVER: I'm afraid I was squealing. I was getting a bit excited. (SQUEALING) Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! Give me a little bit more! JONATHAN ELFALAN: I think I won that one, right? I don't know. It was really close, but I think I think I crossed the line first. But yeah, this thing is so easy to drive. It stops well. It corners well. It gets off the corner without any drama. Actually, I had a little bit of drama, a little bit of oversteer. But it was just a hint of it. - So I think we need to reset and go again. ALISTAIR WEAVER: OK. My first run in this probably wasn't super happy with it. We also think the fact that the Lucid's got a bit more heat into its tires might help it. But I guess we're about to find out. Let's do it. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Let's go. [ENERGETIC MUSIC] RADIO: Five, four, three, two, one. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh, that Lucid got a good launch. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Better launch! Better launch! Better launch. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh man, it's so fast. [ENGINES REVVING] All right. All right, all right. Brake. Brake. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Giving everything I've got. [TIRES SCREECHING] Turn her in. I'm at the apex. [TIRES SCREECHING] And fire it out. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh, not enough of a lead! ALISTAIR WEAVER: Here we go! JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh no! [JONATHAN GROANING] ALISTAIR WEAVER: Ah, she's pulling, she's pulling! Bye-bye! JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh my God, that Lucid. Too much speed! [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ALISTAIR WEAVER: Yeah, well, there we go. Can't beat 800 horsepower, it would seem. It takes a lot of stopping, and then it's a little bit crude. And you just got to turn it and fire it out. But once you've turned and fired it out, it really goes. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Yeah. This one was a little behind, and so I think if you don't already have a lead in this thing, then I don't know. It's really hard to make that up. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Yeah, I would like to try this on bigger, stickier tires, because it's got so much inherent capability that it would be quite something. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Anyways, how about you say we switch cars? I think that that race was pretty exciting. [DRAMATIC MUSIC] ALISTAIR WEAVER: So swapping into the AMG. I'm going to run exactly the same setup as Jonathan. So let's not get too deep into that. So same premise. I'm going to give away a few horsepower. I expect the Lucid to come flying past on the run to the corner, but I'm hoping to make it back under-braking and through the corner itself. And then hang on down the back straight away. Still think that Lucid looks cool, though. JONATHAN ELFALAN: It's Lucid time. It's a big question mark here. We all know it struggles on the braking zone, namely because we keep it planted into the quarter mile. It's the U-Drag rules. It's just a matter of this finding the grip and making that turn. But if it does that cleanly, we've seen that it has the top end to catch that thing. So let's go. [ENERGETIC MUSIC] RADIO: Five, four, three, two, one. ALISTAIR WEAVER: Oh, got a good jolt. Got a good launch for the Lucid's right there. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Out ahead! ALISTAIR WEAVER: Oh, he's coming away. It just feels so much slower. OK, let's do it on the braking. [TIRES SCREECHING] [INAUDIBLE] Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! - Go, go, go! ALISTAIR WEAVER: I think he's going to win this comfortably. [CHUCKLING] JONATHAN ELFALAN: Oh, man. Good job, Lucid. Woo! ALISTAIR WEAVER: That's an easy win for the Lucid. JONATHAN ELFALAN: That is power. That is power. ALISTAIR WEAVER: So I think basically, you just hooked that up beautifully that time. You got a better launch than me, and then I was really conscious that we were braking together, and I hoped to catch you back up. And then you just managed to fire it out of the corner. This thing stopped better, but you were just-- you were just gone in that early-- through that first quarter mile. JONATHAN ELFALAN: I don't know. Maybe the tires had a little bit more heat in them. But yeah, everything just felt like it was put together. And I didn't really feel like I overshot the corner at all. It was very clean, and this thing just has the power to just leave. And its best numbers. 0-60 was tight, but the AMG hit it 0.1 seconds faster than the Lucid at 3.1. In the quarter mile, the Lucid beats the AMG with a 10.7 at 130.6 miles an hour. In the corner, it was the heavier AMG that got it, pulling 1.09g. Finally in the end, it was close, but the W goes to the Lucid with a time of 33.2 at 139.9 miles an hour. Quit staring at my leaderboard. The Lucid couldn't beat its previous time of 33 seconds flat, so it stays in sixth. And the AMG EQE comes in right above the EV6 GT in eighth, with a time of 33.5 at 128.7 miles an hour. Ooh, data and video time! JONATHAN ELFALAN: No! That Lucid got a good launch. Oh man. It's so fast. All right. All right. All right. Just [INAUDIBLE] brakes. [INAUDIBLE] the brakes. [ENGINE REVVING] [TIRES SCREECHING] Oh, not enough of a lead! Oh no! [GROANING] Oh my God, that Lucid. Too much speed! ALISTAIR WEAVER: Better launch. Better launch. Better launch. Better launch. Right. Quarter mile. Give it everything I've got. Turn her in. Hit the apex and fire it out. Here we go! Yeah, she's pulling. She's pulling. She's pulling. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Oh, you can't beat horsepower. So pretty much what we expected. A tale of braking and tires. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Well, it wasn't what I expected, to be honest. I thought the EQE's tires and just well-balanced all-around performance would have trumped that. When you get that thing turned and pointed, and it just fires out like a missile. Anyways, I still feel good. I still love the way that the EQE drives. Like you said, it's very predictable. That is fast. I think we should get some real tires for it, and it will be a totally different contender on this stage. ALISTAIR WEAVER: It just needs better tires and maybe a little bit more-- a little bit more finesse in the stability control, which is-- certainly, if you're trying to push on, gives you a little bit more to play with. Yeah, it's nothing they can't do with over-the-air updates and a set of new boots. JONATHAN ELFALAN: Yeah. Totally agree. ALISTAIR WEAVER: So there you go. Lucid beats Mercedes. That's it from today's Edmunds U-Drags. For all the latest on this series, head to edmunds.com/udrag. That's U-D-R-A-G. We've got the link somewhere on the screen here. If you want to sell your car, head to edmunds.com/sellmycar. We've got tons of reviews, news, everything you need automotive. That's it for today. The sun is setting. We're off for a much-needed shower. Thanks for watching. That's all for now.

U-DRAG RACE: Mercedes-AMG EQE vs. Lucid Air Grand Touring | Quarter Mile, Handling & More!

NOTE: This video is about the 2022 Lucid Air, but since the 2023 Lucid Air is part of the same generation, our earlier analysis still applies.

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2023 Lucid Air Features Specs

Trim:

Pure

Total MSRP	$83,900
EV Tax Credits & Rebates	$125 Based on income
Engine Type	Electric
EPA Electric Range	410 miles
Cost to Drive	$46/month
Total Charging Time (240V)	10.0 hours
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	32.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles
EV Battery Warranty	8 years / 100,000 miles

See all features & specs

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Safety

Our experts’ favorite Air safety features:

DreamDrive: A suite of driver aids and safety features, including blind-spot warning and automatic parking.
Blind-Spot Warning with Blind-Spot Display: Alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot and displays an image of the vehicle's blind spot in the instrument panel when you activate a turn signal.
Automatic Park In & Out: Aids in tight parking situations and helps you judge the distance between your car and an obstacle.

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FAQ

Is the Lucid Air a good car?

The Edmunds experts tested the 2023 Air both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.8 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2023 Air gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 12 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Air has 32.1 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Lucid Air. Learn more

What's new in the 2023 Lucid Air?

According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 Lucid Air:

High-performance Sapphire version could join the lineup
Part of the first Air generation introduced for 2022

Learn more

Is the Lucid Air reliable?

To determine whether the Lucid Air is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Air. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Air's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more

Is the 2023 Lucid Air a good car?

There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2023 Lucid Air is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2023 Air and gave it a 7.8 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2023 Air gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 12 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2023 Air is a good car for you. Learn more

How much should I pay for a 2023 Lucid Air?

The least-expensive 2023 Lucid Air is the 2023 Lucid Air Pure 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $82,400.

Other versions include:

Pure 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) which starts at $82,400
Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) which starts at $95,000
Grand Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) which starts at $125,000
Grand Touring Performance 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD) which starts at $179,000

Learn more

What are the different models of Lucid Air?

If you're interested in the Lucid Air, the next question is, which Air model is right for you? Air variants include Pure 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD), Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD), Grand Touring 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD), and Grand Touring Performance 4dr Sedan AWD (electric DD). For a full list of Air models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more

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U-DRAG RACE: Mercedes-AMG EQE vs. Lucid Air Grand Touring | Quarter Mile, Handling & More!

2023 Lucid Air Features Specs

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