Lucid Air passes the Canadian winter take a look at with flying colours

I had the chance to drive the Lucid Air Touring for somewhat greater than per week through the holidays, and I can say with confidence that the California-designed and engineered electrical luxurious sedan passes the Canadian winter take a look at with flying colours.

I’m impressed. Let’s dive into it.

I had by no means had the prospect to drive a Lucid earlier than. Our personal Scooter Doll is our major reporter on the Lucid beat, and he’s a giant fan of the Air, to say the least. His major grievance has been the software program, which has been enhancing as of late, so I used to be excited to present it a shot with a extra full model of the automobile.

Since launching in Quebec, they’d tried to get me in a automobile, however we couldn’t make it occur. Ultimately, they informed me they’d one for me on December twenty third.

Although it was the vacations, I couldn’t go on the chance and went to choose the smooth crimson Air Touring for my vacation travels.

I’ve been following the corporate for a very long time. From their transition as Atieva, an electrical powertrain and power storage firm, to Lucid, a whole electrical car maker. Attending to drive one felt like a very long time coming.

Lucid Air Touring

Now, I say it passes the Canadian winter take a look at, and if you’re from the area, you may say: “What winter?” Winters are certainly changing into milder round right here, however I had the automobile for simply over per week, and the timing was good for a real winter take a look at.

A couple of hours after selecting up the automobile in Montreal, I needed to drive it again residence to Shawinigan in the course of an honest snowstorm. Two hours within the snow and the left lane on the 40 East wasn’t even plowed.

Typically talking, a brand new automobile I’m not acquainted with plus a snowstorm equals being further cautious, and I used to be clearly cautious, however the Lucid Air’s spectacular driving dynamics rapidly gave me an unbelievable quantity of confidence.

At 5,200 lbs, it’s a heavy car, however it’s an extremely well-balanced 5,200 lbs.

The Air Touring is simply the third strongest model of Lucid’s flagship sedan, however I by no means felt like I wanted extra energy, and that is sensible, contemplating it’s pushing 620 hp and may speed up from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

I used to be capable of go automobiles simply, even within the snow, and at all times felt in full management of the car. It’s a enjoyable, comfy drive.

Talking of consolation, the Lucid Air is a real luxurious sedan with all of the consolation options you’d anticipate and extra. The extent of customization can be spectacular for the seats. You might modify them for hours to get them good.

The backseat can be spectacular. Lucid did an ideal job optimizing the inside. The backseat appears like a limousine:

It’s an ideal automobile for drivers, for passengers, however the trunk house is the place some individuals criticize the Lucid Air.

I perceive why, however I might argue that trunk house will not be an actual drawback. The trunk opening is one. This can be very small and quick:

Nevertheless, when it comes to quantity, it’s greater than respectable. You simply want to have the ability to get issues in. Because of Lucid’s extraordinarily compact motors, there are very deep hidden compartments on the backside of the trunk and frunk.

It leaves loads of room for baggage, however once more, it wants to suit the opening first.

For our travels, it was simply my girlfriend, our cat, and I, however I may see this automobile simply becoming 4 individuals and baggage for per week.

That’s a great factor as a result of it is a nice highway journey automobile, because of its unbelievable effectivity.

The Lucid Air Touring is rated at an EPA vary of 406 miles (653 km), however like another EVs or gas-powered automobiles, your mileage could fluctuate, and the chilly impacts the mileage badly.

As I stated, our winters have gotten milder, however I had the right Canadian winter take a look at situation on Christmas day. We drove from Shawinigan to Quebec Metropolis, drove across the metropolis, parked for hours within the chilly with out charging, after which went again to Shawinigan on a single cost.

Total, it was simply over 400 km (250 miles) and I arrived residence with 27 km:

That may not appear too spectacular for a 400-mile automobile, however the temperature on the drive ranged from -18 to -8°C (-1 to 18°F). If in case you have drivem EVs in these temperatures, you understand that that is spectacular.

What’s most spectacular is that I didn’t must adapt my driving because of the spectacular vary and effectivity.

Once I drive lengthy distances in an electrical car within the chilly, I might usually scale back my velocity in an effort to lengthen the vary, however on this case, I acquired a fairly good concept of the effectivity on the drive to Quebec Metropolis, so I used to be assured on my approach again that I may make it with out stopping to cost.

It enabled me to drive on the freeway at my typical 119 km/h on cruise management and make it with out breaking a sweat.

Electrek’s Take

That’s a game-changer. There’s no compromise. At Electrek, we like to emphasise that vary will not be every thing with EVs. Non-EV drivers are inclined to suppose that you simply want greater than 400 miles to have a viable EV. That’s flawed except you drive 400 miles or extra in a single go usually, which isn’t how most individuals use automobiles.

A 200-mile EV with fast-charging is a superb resolution for most individuals as you get up with a full cost daily and for the few occasions a 12 months while you drive lengthy distances, you’ll be able to cease for a fast 20-40-minute cost, which allows you to drive 300-400 miles in a single day simply.

Nevertheless, issues change in excessive chilly. When you begin hitting temperatures beneath -15°C (5°F), the vary begins to be affected badly, and that’s when an extended vary turns into tremendous helpful.

Truthfully, I’ve been driving EVs within the Canadian chilly for nearly a decade, and it hasn’t been a significant subject for me. When you adapt your driving, you can be OK, and over that decade, I’ve additionally seen vary prediction and effectivity enhancing, which assist with this subject.

However now, in case you have the cash, you even have one other resolution: the Lucid Air. It’s actually an ideal, no compromise car, so long as you have got the cash for the reason that Lucid Air Touring at $78,900 USD ($109,300. CAD).

When you do, it might be laborious to discover a draw back in comparison with different equally priced automobiles. As beforehand talked about, the software program has been a problem with early variations of the Air.

I’ve solely ever skilled the newest model of Lucid’s software program and regardless of some points, I discovered it greater than respectable, particularly in comparison with legacy automakers.

It’s geared up with Apple Carplay for many who prefer it, however the native navigation labored nice for me, and it additionally has a local Spotify app. Personally, I don’t want way more than that. It’s not all good although. On two events, I had subject connecting my telephone to the automobile and I needed to disconnect and reconnect it a number of occasions for it to work.

There’s additionally loads of room for UI optimization. I want to see one thing like media controls for the passenger on the backside of the middle show or the fitting of the highest show.