832km EV range: Lucid Air smashes Tesla record
Lucid Motors has smashed Tesla’s range record for a production battery electric vehicle, claiming its new Air sedan can travel more than 500 miles (800km) between recharges.
Five hundred and seventeen miles (832km) to be exact.
That’s not a number Lucid founder, CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson came up with on the back of an envelope either. It’s been arrived at after testing by engineering firm FEV to the EPA standard multicycle test procedure.
That’s the same EPA test which recently certified the Tesla Model S as having a 402 mile (646km) range.
The Air has long been pitched as a Model S rival and Rawlinson was that car’s original chief engineer before leaving Tesla to set up Lucid Motors.
Lucid had previously hinted the Air was going to set a new range record, as we reported here.
The Air launches on September 9, ahead of production start-up at a new factory in Arizona in early 2021.
Many details of the car remain opaque, including the size of the battery, which is reputed to be up to 130kWh compared to the Tesla 100kWh.
Rawlinson was being less specific than that when he explained why the Air has such a spectacular range.
“I’m delighted that the Lucid Air has been independently verified by FEV to achieve an estimated EPA range of 517 miles, and that this landmark in the history of EV development has been achieved entirely through Lucid’s in-house technology,” he said.
“I believe that our 900-volt architecture, our race proven battery packs, miniaturised motors and power electronics, integrated transmission systems, aerodynamics, chassis and thermal systems, software, and overall system efficiency has now reached a stage where it collectively sets a new standard and delivers a host of ‘world’s firsts’.”
Rawlinson said Lucid originally set out to ensure the Air had more than 400 miles range, but over the years the company had achieved a series of technological breakthroughs that enabled it to be extended.
Intriguingly, he revealed the size of the battery pack had diminished because of those breakthroughs. That in turn had led to other benefits.
“I am therefore pleased that we have consequently achieved an estimated EPA 517 miles of range today whilst also significantly reducing our battery pack’s capacity, thereby reducing vehicle weight and cost, and improving interior space,” said Rawlinson.
The Lucid Air’s range result comes only a few days after Elon Musk declared Tesla could build a 500 mile EV but doubted anyone would buy it.
Right now, Tesla’s first 500 mile model should be the 2022 Cybertruck. Or will Musk respond sooner now Lucid has thrown down the gauntlet?
