Lucid Air GT consumes just 3% of battery in 77-mile downhill drive from Loveland Pass, thanks to regenerative braking
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are all the rage these days. Car manufacturing giants left, right, and center have been trying to cash in on this environmentally friendly (for the most part) trend, as a result of which there are more EVs now on the market than ever before. Despite that, a few reservations continue lurking in the minds of potential EV buyers.
The most pressing of these concerns, most likely, is related to real-life range-related situations. Unlike gas-powered vehicles which can traverse an average of 450+ miles on a single tank, and can refuel whenever necessary, EVs boast significantly lower driveable ranges and take up to an hour to fully charge up (even when fast charging). However, Lucid's rather expensive Air GT seems to be an exception to that trend, boasting a total electric range that is higher than even some ICEs out there. But how is it to drive in the real world? Roman and Tommy of TFLEV set to find out by putting the Lucid Air GT through the Loveland trials.
Beginning their journey from Boulder, CO at an altitude of 5,000 ft, the team drove the Lucid Air GT through the scenic highways leading all the way up to Loveland Pass at 12,000 ft. The dual-motor Lucid Air GT is equipped with a massive 118 kWh battery boasting an electric range of a whopping 480 miles. This specific model was fitted with 20-inch wheels, which reduces the range quite a bit as compared to the one with the 19-inchers.
Throughout the uphill drive, the 819-horsepower Lucid Air GT was truly pleasing to sit inside. The sedan offered a very comfortable ride, albeit being a tad on the softer side. The interior features a mix of soft-touch materials, real wood, and even denim-like fabrics which allow for a truly luxurious feel. That being said, the interior of the car is fitted with modern-looking screens which look great, but are absolute fingerprint magnets and may require frequent cleaning.
While most certainly not as dynamically tuned as performance-oriented sedans such as the Porsche Taycan, the Lucid Air GT handled the twisted mountain roads with confidence and left its reviewers with very little room for complaint - at least from a driving standpoint.
By the time the Air GT reached Loveland Pass, its battery had dropped to 69% - a drop of 29% from around 75 miles of uphill driving. Essentially, the Lucid Air GT had lost 150 miles of range while having driven only 75 miles, but that is to be expected considering the uphill drive to Loveland Pass. However, the tables would soon turn on the downhill drive back to Boulder, where the magic of regenerative braking would allow for some impressive efficiency numbers.
By the time the team got back to Boulder, the Lucid Air GT lost only 3% of its charge on the downhill drive, arriving at its starting point with a battery charge level of 66%. Ultimately, the 156-mile trip used only 32% of the battery, thanks to an impressive efficiency of 4.2 miles/kWh. Regenerative braking, by all means. proved its might in this road trip. Basically, it harvests substantial amounts of energy when slowing down or going downhill and loads those electrons back into the battery pack.
That being said, the Lucid Air GT experience is by no means a bed of roses. For starters, as pointed out by the presenters, the market demand for sedans has been on the decline thanks to the onslaught of SUV demand, which makes Lucid's decision to enter the market with a luxury sedan rather confusing.
Moreover, the price to enter the Lucid club is exceptionally high - the Air GT variant tested commands a massive $125,000 price tag. However, the class-leading range and superb build quality and design somewhat, manage to justify the price tag, and with the soon-to-be-launched Gravity SUV from Lucid, the brand can easily penetrate the SUV-obsessed mass market if it so desires.
Source(s)
