After a troubled first full year of production, Lucid Group has managed to stabilize and increase manufacturing of its Air luxury sedan, to the point it produced more than 2,300 cars in Q1 2023.
That may not be an impressive number when measured against Rivian, another EV startup Lucid is often compared with, but let's not forget Lucid sells only one model that starts at around $89,000 in entry-level Pure trim.
Things are about to change, though, as Lucid is entering a more lucrative and popular segment in the near future---luxury SUVs.
The California-based company announced its Gravity SUV has entered a new phase of development and is now testing on public roads throughout the U.S., a major milestone for an EV startup that only began production of its first-ever model in September 2021.
"I am excited to see the Gravity SUV moving forward so quickly in its development, as it builds upon everything this company has achieved thus far and drives further advancements of our in-house technology to create a luxury electric SUV like none other," said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Group. "The Lucid Air redefined the sedan category, and as our technology continues to evolve and lead the market, we are in a place where the Gravity is positioned to change the world of SUVs."
Lucid promised the Gravity electric SUV will offer "a previously unheard-of combination of spaciousness, performance and driving range."
The carmaker also said its second production EV is designed and engineered "to serve nearly any lifestyle or need," offering comfortable seating for up to seven adults and their gear, the driving dynamics of a sports car, and greater electric range than any SUV on the market today.
Those are obviously big claims, but Lucid has proven with the Air it can build a world-class luxury sedan that can compete with similar products from established automakers. Essentially, the Gravity should offer everything the Air does but with added passenger comfort, practicality and off-road capability.
Speaking of comfort, the company previously said the Gravity will make full use of the Lucid Space Concept, offering flexible seating configurations for five, six or seven adults in two- and three-row seating configurations. In addition, the Gravity will introduce new Glass Cockpit high-resolution displays, powered by the next generation of the Lucid UX software interface.
In November 2022, Lucid said it planned to open reservations for the Gravity SUV in early 2023, but that hasn't happened yet. The company also said deliveries would start sometime in 2024.
Abby Andrews