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

I had the chance to drive the Lucid Air Touring for a bit of greater than per week in the course of 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 possibility to drive a Lucid earlier than. Our personal Scooter Doll is our principal reporter on the Lucid beat, and he’s an enormous fan of the Air, to say the least. His principal grievance has been the software program, which has been enhancing as of late, so I used to be excited to provide it a shot with a extra full model of the automotive.

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

Though it was the vacations, I couldn’t go on the chance and went to choose the smooth purple 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 vitality storage firm, to Lucid, an entire 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 in case you are from the area, you would possibly say: “What winter?” Winters are certainly turning into milder round right here, however I had the automotive for simply over per week, and the timing was good for a real winter take a look at.

A number of hours after choosing up the automotive in Montreal, I needed to drive it again dwelling to Shawinigan in the midst of a good snowstorm. Two hours within the snow and the left lane on the 40 East wasn’t even plowed.

Usually talking, a brand new automotive 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 unimaginable 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 smart, 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 count on and extra. The extent of customization can also be spectacular for the seats. You could possibly modify them for hours to get them good.

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

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

I perceive why, however I’d argue that trunk area just isn’t an actual drawback. The trunk opening is one. This can be very small and quick:

Nevertheless, by way of 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 automotive simply becoming 4 individuals and baggage for per week.

That’s a superb factor as a result of it is a nice street journey automotive, because of its unimaginable 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.

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

That may not appear too spectacular for a 400-mile automotive, however the temperature on the drive ranged from -18 to -8°C (-1 to 18°F). When you have drivem EVs in these temperatures, you realize 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’d typically scale back my pace with the intention to prolong the vary, however on this case, I obtained a reasonably 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 ordinary 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 just isn’t all the pieces with EVs. Non-EV drivers are inclined to assume that you simply want greater than 400 miles to have a viable EV. That’s unsuitable until you drive 400 miles or extra in a single go typically, which isn’t how most individuals use automobiles.

A 200-mile EV with fast-charging is a good answer for most individuals as you get up with a full cost day by day and for the few occasions a 12 months once 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 under -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 serious 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, when you have the cash, you even have one other answer: the Lucid Air. It’s really an ideal, no compromise car, so long as you could have the cash because the Lucid Air Touring at $78,900 USD ($109,300. CAD).

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

I’ve solely ever skilled the most recent 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 outfitted 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 rather more than that. It’s not all good although. On two events, I had subject connecting my cellphone to the automotive 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 correct of the highest show.