Congrats!My wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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Lucid Air Owner's Registry: Add Your Details Here!
Dream Edition #210 delivered today, January 20, 2022
My wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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![Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Window]()
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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Congrats! Even though this forum is where I started, the lucidowners forum is much more active and has more owners providing feedback if you care to sift through the issues we are all experiencing!My wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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Looks sweet. Please continue to keep us posted... Enjoy!
congrats … and thanks for the initial reviewMy wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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Congrats and thank you for the information. This will be my first EV and the more I read, the more I learn and look forward.My wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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Congrats! What are the Lucid choices for where to place your phone?
The current Tesla Model S (aka 2021 and later "refresh") has a really good setup. The phone rests under the center display screen at a 45 degree angle while wirelessly charging and good visibility / access to the phone for the driver, and doesn't move around at all. This Tesla has the best all-around phone location / setup I've experienced.
The current Tesla Model S (aka 2021 and later "refresh") has a really good setup. The phone rests under the center display screen at a 45 degree angle while wirelessly charging and good visibility / access to the phone for the driver, and doesn't move around at all. This Tesla has the best all-around phone location / setup I've experienced.
I agree that this is nice and would be nice if on the Air as well. But, in the grand scheme of things, this is IMHO pretty unimportant. How the car drives, handles, charges, doesn't turn screens blank, has a working nav, etc. etc. are more important.Congrats! What are the Lucid choices for where to place your phone?
The current Tesla Model S (aka 2021 and later "refresh") has a really good setup. The phone rests under the center display screen at a 45 degree angle while wirelessly charging and good visibility / access to the phone for the driver, and doesn't move around at all. This Tesla has the best all-around phone location / setup I've experienced.
Where, please, are the Lucid choices for storing your phone? Pros and cons? Thanks!I agree that this is nice and would be nice if on the Air as well. But, in the grand scheme of things, this is IMHO pretty unimportant. How the car drives, handles, charges, doesn't turn screens blank, has a working nav, etc. etc. are more important.
Hey @rdowns59, how do you like the build quality? What has range been like for you so far?
Is Dream Drive operational yet for you yet?My wife and I took delivery of our Dream Edition today, number 210. I've only put about 30 miles on it so far, but here are a few initial observations. The delivery experience was nice. They made us feel special. We took delivery at the Beverly Hills Studio. Paperwork was minimal - just a couple of signatures on DMV paperwork and we were done with that. The Studio Advisor, Danny Sharon, walked us through the controls, and he was perfectly happy to be as brief or as thorough as possible, depending on our needs. Having owned several other EVs and being reasonably well-acquainted with the car already (as well as being a huge geek) I opted for a brief intro.
There were a couple of minor issues, one about which they warned me in advance, and the other of which they apparently didn't catch until we were on the way to the studio: 1) there is a tiny scratch/dent on the upper side of the body behind the passenger rear door, and 2) there is some odd discoloration on the driver's side roof support where it meets the body, cause unknown. I will try to post photos in the morning; it's too late/dark right now. They offered to postpone the delivery. We didn't want to wait any longer, so they wrote up a Due Bill, and will retrieve the car and replace those panels while we're out of town next week. I have to say, the entire crew (there were 7 or 8 of them altogether) were extremely accommodating and pleasant.
The car rides very smooth, especially compared to my current Tesla X and 2 previous models S. There seems to be considerably less road noise (so far, at least). There is quite a lot of redundancy in the controls, as in there are several options/locations for controlling many of the features. The Lucid does not start as quickly as the Teslas. It takes a few seconds to boot up. I'll elaborate as I drive it more.
The seat massagers rock!
Dream Drive is not operational yet, nor is the adaptive cruise control. I was told these and many other features should become active "within the first quarter".
Acceleration is slightly less immediate than my Model X Performance. The throttle feels ever so slightly damped, so the car doesn't 'jump' like the Tesla does. It feels a little more comfortable as a result, but also yields a slightly heavier feel upon takeoff. I haven't yet experimented with the various acceleration profiles, however. The car is still plenty quick, just feels less jumpy upon takeoff.
Regenerative braking feels a little more aggressive than the Tesla (which I like) in its current setting. I know there are multiple options depending on driver preference.
That's all for now. More after I've driven it a bit.
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No, not yet. We did get adaptive cruise control a few weeks ago, which was much appreciated. Given the other issues we've had with the infotainment system, I don't anticipate Dream Drive will be coming anytime soon.Is Dream Drive operational yet for you yet?
I'll make a separate post regarding those issues.
Here are a few observations after putting 1300 miles on our Lucid Air Dream Edition #210.
The car itself has mostly been pretty awesome. It drives and handles great, and is extremely comfortable, though it sits a bit too low in my opinion. I know it's a sports sedan, not an SUV, but it sits lower than most other sedans I've driven, including the model S. This makes it...how can I say this...not difficult, but less-than-easy to get in and out of (mostly out). As well, you have to be extremely careful when parking it, as the front air dam scrapes everything! The range is incredible, and the range estimates mostly seem relatively accurate, especially compared to my Tesla Model X and the two Models S we've previously owned and sold. Charging is incredibly fast, reaching as high as 13 miles per minute of charge. It typically varies between 8-12 miles per minute, and slows considerably once you reach 80% or so. I usually unplug at around 85%, which is roughly 425 miles. Whereas I usually charge my model X every day, I'm only charging the Lucid every 3-5 days.
The infotainment system is very, very laggy. It literally takes a couple of seconds after a screen press for it to respond. Very slow. They are aware of this. I'm hoping they can address it via software update. We have had a number of updates which have added new features and addressed some apparent bugs, though the pace seems to have slowed, of late. The boot up process is also slow. While you can drive within 10 seconds or so (I haven't timed it, sorry), it takes a bit longer to fully boot. I would guesstimate 20-25 seconds, which doesn't sound like a long time, but compared to the almost instant booting of our Teslas past and present, and even my tiny little BMW i3s (which I adore, btw), it seems an eternity.
As well, we've had several problems - of a mostly non-critical nature. For one, if you leave the trunk open long enough for the car to "sleep", then no amount of button presses or other interaction will get the trunk to close, even after the car "wakes" again. You have to close the trunk by hand. This has happened to me several times while making multiple trips to load stuff into the trunk. I've videoed and reported it, and the advisor was able to replicate the issue. They confirmed my theory that it's related to the car going to sleep and "forgetting" the trunk is open. I assume they're working on a fix, but I'm certain it's low priority.
Of greater concern - one night last week my wife was leaving the office around midnight, and two of the three displays never finished booting. They just froze on the boot screen, and wouldn't respond to input of any kind. Oddly, they would still display the backup camera when in reverse, but then would revert to the boot screen. She was unable to use the homelink to open the security gate, and she had to call me to remotely open the gate before she could even leave the office. She then had no navigation or entertainment available on the 23 mile drive home, nor could she access the seat profiles (heater, massage, etc.). Of course, she could move the seat using the manual controls if needed. The main display (speedometer, etc) worked normally, but all functions on the auxiliary displays were completely unavailable. This was very disconcerting for my wife, alone at midnight, far from home. Once she arrived home, I confirmed all the above and took a video. The car did not recognize my key fob to engage my profile, so I had to manually move the seat. Once I let the car go to sleep again, it later booted normally.
Observations:
1) There is a real issue with the sleep mode on this car.
2) They really, really need a reboot option like the Teslas have. Currently, if something goes awry, you have to exit and walk away (with the key) from the car far enough and long enough for it to go to sleep, and hope it resumes normal function after waking.
The car itself has mostly been pretty awesome. It drives and handles great, and is extremely comfortable, though it sits a bit too low in my opinion. I know it's a sports sedan, not an SUV, but it sits lower than most other sedans I've driven, including the model S. This makes it...how can I say this...not difficult, but less-than-easy to get in and out of (mostly out). As well, you have to be extremely careful when parking it, as the front air dam scrapes everything! The range is incredible, and the range estimates mostly seem relatively accurate, especially compared to my Tesla Model X and the two Models S we've previously owned and sold. Charging is incredibly fast, reaching as high as 13 miles per minute of charge. It typically varies between 8-12 miles per minute, and slows considerably once you reach 80% or so. I usually unplug at around 85%, which is roughly 425 miles. Whereas I usually charge my model X every day, I'm only charging the Lucid every 3-5 days.
The infotainment system is very, very laggy. It literally takes a couple of seconds after a screen press for it to respond. Very slow. They are aware of this. I'm hoping they can address it via software update. We have had a number of updates which have added new features and addressed some apparent bugs, though the pace seems to have slowed, of late. The boot up process is also slow. While you can drive within 10 seconds or so (I haven't timed it, sorry), it takes a bit longer to fully boot. I would guesstimate 20-25 seconds, which doesn't sound like a long time, but compared to the almost instant booting of our Teslas past and present, and even my tiny little BMW i3s (which I adore, btw), it seems an eternity.
As well, we've had several problems - of a mostly non-critical nature. For one, if you leave the trunk open long enough for the car to "sleep", then no amount of button presses or other interaction will get the trunk to close, even after the car "wakes" again. You have to close the trunk by hand. This has happened to me several times while making multiple trips to load stuff into the trunk. I've videoed and reported it, and the advisor was able to replicate the issue. They confirmed my theory that it's related to the car going to sleep and "forgetting" the trunk is open. I assume they're working on a fix, but I'm certain it's low priority.
Of greater concern - one night last week my wife was leaving the office around midnight, and two of the three displays never finished booting. They just froze on the boot screen, and wouldn't respond to input of any kind. Oddly, they would still display the backup camera when in reverse, but then would revert to the boot screen. She was unable to use the homelink to open the security gate, and she had to call me to remotely open the gate before she could even leave the office. She then had no navigation or entertainment available on the 23 mile drive home, nor could she access the seat profiles (heater, massage, etc.). Of course, she could move the seat using the manual controls if needed. The main display (speedometer, etc) worked normally, but all functions on the auxiliary displays were completely unavailable. This was very disconcerting for my wife, alone at midnight, far from home. Once she arrived home, I confirmed all the above and took a video. The car did not recognize my key fob to engage my profile, so I had to manually move the seat. Once I let the car go to sleep again, it later booted normally.
Observations:
1) There is a real issue with the sleep mode on this car.
2) They really, really need a reboot option like the Teslas have. Currently, if something goes awry, you have to exit and walk away (with the key) from the car far enough and long enough for it to go to sleep, and hope it resumes normal function after waking.
Hey! Firstly, congratulations on your new car. As you mentioned some of the issues in your previous comment, would you suggest or recommend this model to anyone? Since you are well-aware of how the EVs work, is there any other vehicle that you would like to suggest?
I don't mean to make the Lucid Air sound like it's not a great car. I think Lucid the car and Lucid the company both have enormous potential, but it's going to take a lot of work and quite a bit more time for them to get where we want them to be. While currently best suited for buyers who are completely comfortable in the role of early adopter (and the trials and tribulations which accompany that role), I believe most people will be thrilled with the car and will happily overlook the glitches and growing pains. That said, they (Lucid) have a lot of work to do if this car is to be the success everyone wants and expects it to be. If they can successfully address the more glaring issues in a timely manner, they will likely prove to be a viable alternative to Tesla. They will never replace Tesla. That ship has sailed. Tesla - for better or worse - are the Kleenex(tm) of electric vehicles. Their national and worldwide market penetration is too pervasive, and with Tesla's enormous experience, combined with the supercharger network, it would be a mighty feat for any company to knock Tesla off its throne at this point.Hey! Firstly, congratulations on your new car. As you mentioned some of the issues in your previous comment, would you suggest or recommend this model to anyone? Since you are well-aware of how the EVs work, is there any other vehicle that you would like to suggest?
Lucid, at least initially, is aiming for a more upscale market. The Lucid Air is far more luxurious, comfortable, and dare I say classy than any Tesla. But the very thing which sets it apart is also what severely limits its market potential. To achieve the more luxurious look and feel, they've given up much of the utility of the Tesla. I love the way the Lucid looks, and I very much appreciate the ride and the feel. But to be truthful, I actually find that I enjoy driving my Model X even more. One reason is that the Lucid Dream Drive is not ready yet, so the comparison is a bit unfair for that reason. I worry that it will take Lucid a long time to implement Dream Drive (or at least to implement it effectively), and I suspect it will take them a year or more to iron out many of the other annoying glitches. Seriously, the infotainment system is mostly impressive, but it is slower than molasses. Any techie will be annoyed by it from day one. Maybe (hopefully) they can find a way to speed it up via OTA updates, but I'm truly dumbfounded that they actually released it in this state. I expected better, especially after reading and hearing all the hype and breathtakingly positive reviews, and because you rely on it for so many of the car's functions.
When we took delivery of the Lucid, we immediately took my X to the body shop, as someone had hit it in a restaurant parking lot and damaged the liftgate. It sat in the body shop for over a month awaiting parts before I retrieved it. Another month or more has now passed, and we're still waiting for parts. Don't get me started on Tesla's lousy service and parts availability. They absolutely suck in this area. But I digress. After driving the Lucid for a month, I missed my X. Since getting it back, I've mostly stuck to the X while my wife drives the Lucid. She really likes it, but she hates the door handles and the glitchy infotainment system. The tradeoff works for her. It doesn't really work for me.
When I approach the X, the door opens itself for me. Once inside, I put my foot on the brake pedal and the door closes itself. Immediately I can put the car in gear and go. No waiting. None at all. With the Lucid, I fold myself into the driver's seat, put my foot on the brake, and wait around 15-20 seconds for it to partially boot, at which point the cameras will begin to work and I can begin driving (technically you could drive sooner, but the back up camera won't work at that point). The rest of the system doesn't finish booting for an additional 15 or 20 seconds. Those short delays don't sound like a big deal, but in reality they have an enormous impact on the driving experience. My X has a height-adjustable air suspension, which memorizes the height setting based upon gps location. The Air doesn't have that, and because it sits so low, the front air dam scrapes if you pull forward all the way to the concrete parking stops. The X (and the S, as well) has an enormous liftgate/hatchback, which makes loading and unloading very easy. The Air trunk, while quite large, has a fairly small lid which makes loading larger items impossible.
The Air has some noteworthy advantages, however. The frunk is enormous and is automated, whereas the Tesla's is manual. The camera system is really great, if you can handle the delays inherent in their display/infotainment system. I really enjoy the 360 camera view, which helps tremendously when parking. The HomeLink (garage & gate remote) system has 15 slots vs only 3 in the Tesla. I currently have need for 6 slots, and could use 1 or 2 more, so the Lucid wins in this department.
The Lucid absolutely destroys the Tesla in the range department. Ours is rated at 500ish miles. We typically charge it to 80%, (400 miles) which makes it feasible to routinely take advantage of the 3 years of free charging with EV America. I can charge it once or twice a week, and it only takes about 30 minutes or less to charge from sub-100 to 400 miles of range. My X has free unlimited lifetime charging, but since the 90% range is only 230-ish miles now (the 100% range when new was 293 miles, but that has dropped to 260-ish after 4 years), and it takes around 45 minutes to charge to that level, it's just easier to top off the Tesla on a daily or every-other-day basis at my home or my office. I've installed level 2 chargers at both. The newer Teslas charge at a faster rate and have more range, so this might change the calculus relative to Lucid. I dislike the location of the charging port on the Lucid, and as with all things Lucid, the port door is slower to open than is the Tesla's. I also loathe the bulkiness of the level 3 CCS charger.
There are a number of things about the Tesla which I also find annoying, so I recognize it's far from the perfect car. Despite that, and after weighing it against the Lucid Air, I just placed my order for a new Tesla model X (delivery anticipated next January). We'll keep and enjoy the Lucid, but for my lifestyle, the Tesla X is just a better fit.
So, back to your original question (and sorry to have been so longwinded!). Would I suggest or recommend the Lucid? Yes, with the caveat that the buyer should be aware of the current immaturity of the platform. I honestly feel the Lucid can become something truly great, and to a large extent already is. Anyone buying one at this time will experience some frustrations while they iron out the bugs and glitches. This is to be expected with any new and groundbreaking technology, but the way the Lucid has been presented and reviewed, we were led to expect a more mature and refined product than we received. Perhaps this was an unrealistic expectation, but I firmly believe we were led to that (mis)perception; we didn't get there on our own. The Lucid's range, efficiency, and technology has the potential to upend the entire industry. The vehicle is beautiful, comfortable, powerful, fast, and efficient. There's a lot going on there, and the vast majority of it is great. I believe the company will be successful, but they face some serious challenges (supply chain issues, rising prices, chip shortages, and of course technology development and refinement), and as a result success is not a given. Having said all the above, while we could easily sell our Lucid, and probably make a chunk of profit in doing so, we're keeping it.
Hey! Thanks a million for this extremely detailed information and the comparison between Lucid and Tesla. This is genuinely helpful to many of us. I will bookmark this thread with your answer, and share the link with anyone who's looking for something similar. Thanks again, @rdowns59!I don't mean to make the Lucid Air sound like it's not a great car. I think Lucid the car and Lucid the company both have enormous potential, but it's going to take a lot of work and quite a bit more time for them to get where we want them to be. While currently best suited for buyers who are completely comfortable in the role of early adopter (and the trials and tribulations which accompany that role), I believe most people will be thrilled with the car and will happily overlook the glitches and growing pains. That said, they (Lucid) have a lot of work to do if this car is to be the success everyone wants and expects it to be. If they can successfully address the more glaring issues in a timely manner, they will likely prove to be a viable alternative to Tesla. They will never replace Tesla. That ship has sailed. Tesla - for better or worse - are the Kleenex(tm) of electric vehicles. Their national and worldwide market penetration is too pervasive, and with Tesla's enormous experience, combined with the supercharger network, it would be a mighty feat for any company to knock Tesla off its throne at this point.
Lucid, at least initially, is aiming for a more upscale market. The Lucid Air is far more luxurious, comfortable, and dare I say classy than any Tesla. But the very thing which sets it apart is also what severely limits its market potential. To achieve the more luxurious look and feel, they've given up much of the utility of the Tesla. I love the way the Lucid looks, and I very much appreciate the ride and the feel. But to be truthful, I actually find that I enjoy driving my Model X even more. One reason is that the Lucid Dream Drive is not ready yet, so the comparison is a bit unfair for that reason. I worry that it will take Lucid a long time to implement Dream Drive (or at least to implement it effectively), and I suspect it will take them a year or more to iron out many of the other annoying glitches. Seriously, the infotainment system is mostly impressive, but it is slower than molasses. Any techie will be annoyed by it from day one. Maybe (hopefully) they can find a way to speed it up via OTA updates, but I'm truly dumbfounded that they actually released it in this state. I expected better, especially after reading and hearing all the hype and breathtakingly positive reviews, and because you rely on it for so many of the car's functions.
When we took delivery of the Lucid, we immediately took my X to the body shop, as someone had hit it in a restaurant parking lot and damaged the liftgate. It sat in the body shop for over a month awaiting parts before I retrieved it. Another month or more has now passed, and we're still waiting for parts. Don't get me started on Tesla's lousy service and parts availability. They absolutely suck in this area. But I digress. After driving the Lucid for a month, I missed my X. Since getting it back, I've mostly stuck to the X while my wife drives the Lucid. She really likes it, but she hates the door handles and the glitchy infotainment system. The tradeoff works for her. It doesn't really work for me.
When I approach the X, the door opens itself for me. Once inside, I put my foot on the brake pedal and the door closes itself. Immediately I can put the car in gear and go. No waiting. None at all. With the Lucid, I fold myself into the driver's seat, put my foot on the brake, and wait around 15-20 seconds for it to partially boot, at which point the cameras will begin to work and I can begin driving (technically you could drive sooner, but the back up camera won't work at that point). The rest of the system doesn't finish booting for an additional 15 or 20 seconds. Those short delays don't sound like a big deal, but in reality they have an enormous impact on the driving experience. My X has a height-adjustable air suspension, which memorizes the height setting based upon gps location. The Air doesn't have that, and because it sits so low, the front air dam scrapes if you pull forward all the way to the concrete parking stops. The X (and the S, as well) has an enormous liftgate/hatchback, which makes loading and unloading very easy. The Air trunk, while quite large, has a fairly small lid which makes loading larger items impossible.
The Air has some noteworthy advantages, however. The frunk is enormous and is automated, whereas the Tesla's is manual. The camera system is really great, if you can handle the delays inherent in their display/infotainment system. I really enjoy the 360 camera view, which helps tremendously when parking. The HomeLink (garage & gate remote) system has 15 slots vs only 3 in the Tesla. I currently have need for 6 slots, and could use 1 or 2 more, so the Lucid wins in this department.
The Lucid absolutely destroys the Tesla in the range department. Ours is rated at 500ish miles. We typically charge it to 80%, (400 miles) which makes it feasible to routinely take advantage of the 3 years of free charging with EV America. I can charge it once or twice a week, and it only takes about 30 minutes or less to charge from sub-100 to 400 miles of range. My X has free unlimited lifetime charging, but since the 90% range is only 230-ish miles now (the 100% range when new was 293 miles, but that has dropped to 260-ish after 4 years), and it takes around 45 minutes to charge to that level, it's just easier to top off the Tesla on a daily or every-other-day basis at my home or my office. I've installed level 2 chargers at both. The newer Teslas charge at a faster rate and have more range, so this might change the calculus relative to Lucid. I dislike the location of the charging port on the Lucid, and as with all things Lucid, the port door is slower to open than is the Tesla's. I also loathe the bulkiness of the level 3 CCS charger.
There are a number of things about the Tesla which I also find annoying, so I recognize it's far from the perfect car. Despite that, and after weighing it against the Lucid Air, I just placed my order for a new Tesla model X (delivery anticipated next January). We'll keep and enjoy the Lucid, but for my lifestyle, the Tesla X is just a better fit.
So, back to your original question (and sorry to have been so longwinded!). Would I suggest or recommend the Lucid? Yes, with the caveat that the buyer should be aware of the current immaturity of the platform. I honestly feel the Lucid can become something truly great, and to a large extent already is. Anyone buying one at this time will experience some frustrations while they iron out the bugs and glitches. This is to be expected with any new and groundbreaking technology, but the way the Lucid has been presented and reviewed, we were led to expect a more mature and refined product than we received. Perhaps this was an unrealistic expectation, but I firmly believe we were led to that (mis)perception; we didn't get there on our own. The Lucid's range, efficiency, and technology has the potential to upend the entire industry. The vehicle is beautiful, comfortable, powerful, fast, and efficient. There's a lot going on there, and the vast majority of it is great. I believe the company will be successful, but they face some serious challenges (supply chain issues, rising prices, chip shortages, and of course technology development and refinement), and as a result success is not a given. Having said all the above, while we could easily sell our Lucid, and probably make a chunk of profit in doing so, we're keeping it.
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