The Lucid Air electric luxury car will start at $52,500... sort of
That price assumes a $7,500 federal tax incentive. Otherwise, the base price is $60,000.
Lucid doesn't plan on releasing its first car, the battery-electric Air, until 2019 or so. But now, we have a better idea of how much it will cost and what that money gets you.
The Lucid Air will start at $60,000, which will drop down to $52,500 after the federal tax incentive for battery-electric vehicles is applied. Considering an automaker must surpass 200,000 sales for that incentive to be phased out, Lucid buyers shouldn't worry much about missing out on that incentive.
The automaker promises that the base Air won't be a penalty box, either. It'll pack 400 horsepower heading to the rear wheels, a 240-mile range (although specific battery capacity isn't mentioned), two trunks, power front seats, LED headlights, four screens and "all hardware necessary for autonomous driving."
Vaporware or not (and it probably isn't), the Air is one seriously pretty luxury sedan.
Even though the car is still upward of a year away -- that's if we take Lucid at its word for production scheduling -- it's highly unlikely that the car will debut with autonomous capabilities. Thus, like Tesla, its equipment will likely be used for driver-assistance systems until a later over-the-air update that engages some degree of autonomy.
Of course, you can always option a Lucid Air so that it clears the $100,000 mark. You can do that with options that include a larger battery (with a range of 315 or 400 miles, allegedly) and up to 1,000 horsepower thanks to an extra electric motor. Reclining executive rear seats will be available, as will 22-way massaging front seats, a glass roof and a 29-speaker audio system. Lucid doesn't have specific pricing for its most expensive models just yet.
Lucid will also offer a Launch Edition of the Air. This one will include a number of the aforementioned upgrades, like a 315-mile range and the 1,000-horsepower motor configuration. It'll also carry special colors and badges. Only 255 will be made, and Lucid offered no additional details, other than saying its MSRP will be over $100,000.
Pricing the Air at $60,000 could hit Tesla where it hurts. The 218-mile Tesla Model S 60 starts at $68,000, and if the Model 3 starts moving out of showrooms like Tesla hopes it will, those tax incentives will shore up, and quick. Once you start adding additional equipment, the prices seem to reach parity.
The previously mentioned release date of 2019 operates on the premise that Lucid can get its facilities up and running quickly. The company estimates that it will take 24 months from the start of facility construction to production beginning. It hasn't yet started on its Casa Grande, Arizona plant, so owners hoping for a slightly less expensive alternative to Tesla might be waiting for quite some time.
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