First look at Lucid EV shows that size doesn't matter

Lucid Motors offered an inside look at its startup operation last month, revealing an impressive cadre of automotive talent and development towards its first car, a premium electric sedan. That development not only centered around the electric drivetrain, which promises well over 300 miles of range, but also covered autonomous features, the infotainment and audio systems, and even interior design schemes.

But the company would not allow photography, keeping the look of its car secret.

Until now. Lucid Motors released a photo of its "alpha" car in camouflage, parked between a Mercedes-
Benz S-Class and a BMW 7-Series. The purpose of this comparison was to show one of the company's guiding principles: a car with a relatively small exterior footprint but cabin space equal to or greater than a typical flagship sedan.

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The photo shows how Lucid Motors takes advantage of the compact nature of an electric drivetrain to rethink how a car can be shaped. It still has a front end sticking out from the cab, but that mainly supports the front suspension and drive motor. Similar to the Tesla Model S, there is some cargo space under the hood, but the front end is shorter than on the comparative cars.

The battery pack sits in the chassis, underneath the cabin. The rear of the car also looks foreshortened compared to the BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The roofline remains high toward the back of the car, to allow passenger headroom. There is also a rear electric drive motor, as the car is designed for all-wheel drive.

Lucid EV makes a cameo, and camo'ed, appearance in Los Angeles

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