X

Tesla-rivaling Lucid Air electric sedan finally gets a debut date this September

Although Tesla was first with a 400-mile-plus range, Lucid promises a similar figure even at highway speeds.

lucid-air-promo
Enlarge Image
lucid-air-promo

Do you like Robocop? Then you'll love the Lucid Air's front fascia.

Lucid Motors

Finally, we know when we'll see the long-teased Lucid Air. The company first showed off the concept car back in 2016, and the startup itself appeared on the verge of collapse for a hot minute, but today it's full speed ahead.

Lucid on Wednesday said the Air will debut on Sept. 9 after it previously nixed plans to show the car at the now-cancelled 2020 New York auto show. As is the norm in the coronavirus era, Lucid will reveal the car online and everything we see will be final. No more teaser, concepts or hints; Lucid promises this is the real deal ahead of production start late this year.

Aside from the final car, the startup said we'll also learn more about the Air's specifications, which will hopefully include a hyped 400-mile range. Although announced this week the Model S Long Range now goes 402 miles on a single charge, Lucid has said we can might see the Air do over 400 miles even at highway speeds. If that's the case, the Air will definitely be a proper Tesla rival. The startup already inked a deal with LG Chem to provide battery cells for the production car.

Lucid Motors shows off Air, an electric luxury sedan

See all photos

These specs will likely be limited to the range-topping model, which will probably cost around $100,000. Lucid previously mentioned another model years back that should start at $60,000 before the $7,500 federal tax credit. It's safe to assume the company will focus on the most expensive model to start, which has the highest probability of turning a profit.

While we await the reveal later this year, Lucid continues work at its new factory in Arizona where it will build the Air. Assuming everything stays on track, production should kick off late this year before the first Airs make their way to customers in early 2021.

Watch this: Rapid development: Lucid Air electric car debuts with 1,000 horsepower
Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.

Article updated on June 17, 2020 at 7:34 AM PDT

Our Experts

Written by 
Sean Szymkowski
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid. Reviews ethics statement
Sean Szymkowski
It all started with Gran Turismo. From those early PlayStation days, Sean was drawn to anything with four wheels. Prior to joining the Roadshow team, he was a freelance contributor for Motor Authority, The Car Connection and Green Car Reports. As for what's in the garage, Sean owns a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and yes, it has Holden badges.
Why You Can Trust CNET
174175176177178179180+
Experts Interviewed
030405060708091011121314+
Companies Reviewed
108109110111112113+
Products Reviewed

We thoroughly evaluate each company and product we review and ensure our stories meet our high editorial standards.