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What's that popping-up white disc on top of the front roof?
Video: Ep 1. There's No Defying Gravity The Road to Gravity
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xponents
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Camera, external lidar for calibrating the onboard lidar, something like that. Definitely just some kind of sensor mounted up there for development/testing purposes.
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We're almost at the 6-month mark since Lucid revealed the Gravity at the L.A. Auto show . . . or, put another way, about halfway to the promised late-2024 start of deliveries.
I'm assuming the next thing we'll see publicly are pre-production units in the hands of select auto journalists, accompanied by or soon followed by release of the vehicle's final specs. The "Road to Gravity" video suggests those pre-production units might already be making their way through the factory.
Six to seven months before first deliveries is not that long a time. I wonder when the order books will open up for the Gravity and what the pecking order will be for access to Dream Editions if they're going to be a limited run. It feels as if time is drawing nigh for taking at least Dream deposits. I know many buyers will want to see final specs before making decisions between trim levels, but I have a feeling most Dream buyers will be less concerned with that as the Dreams will probably be fully-optioned. Decisions about the choices regarding colors and wheels can be made at order configuration, as they were with the Air Dreams.
C'mon, Lucid. Gettin' itchy here. And these teasers ain't helping.
I'm assuming the next thing we'll see publicly are pre-production units in the hands of select auto journalists, accompanied by or soon followed by release of the vehicle's final specs. The "Road to Gravity" video suggests those pre-production units might already be making their way through the factory.
Six to seven months before first deliveries is not that long a time. I wonder when the order books will open up for the Gravity and what the pecking order will be for access to Dream Editions if they're going to be a limited run. It feels as if time is drawing nigh for taking at least Dream deposits. I know many buyers will want to see final specs before making decisions between trim levels, but I have a feeling most Dream buyers will be less concerned with that as the Dreams will probably be fully-optioned. Decisions about the choices regarding colors and wheels can be made at order configuration, as they were with the Air Dreams.
C'mon, Lucid. Gettin' itchy here. And these teasers ain't helping.
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It’s very intentional, I gather. They don’t want another “dump” of cancellations because of the deposit is low and refundable.
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I'm sure it's intentional, as the Gravity does seem to be on track. While Air Dream deposits were refundable, they were $25,000, and that probably minimized the number of deposits from people who weren't sure of their interest. Also, Lucid had much less of a track record behind it when Air deposits were being taken. This time, people can be much more confident they'll be getting a vehicle from a company that has proven it can engineer, design, and build truly great cars.
I understand not taking deposits years ahead as Lucid did with the Air, but taking deposits six months out on a new model is much more in the mainstream of industry practice, especially for a limited production run. I have done so with several cars over the years.
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Not for me. Mine was $500 because I ordered a GT and then got off the waitlist for the DE. I don’t know how many people did the $25k deposit.
But I hear what you’re saying. I don’t have all the context, obviously, so I suppose we’ll just have to see!
NoseyReporter
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My guess would be a very high fidelity GPS.
One in the front, and one in the back. Allows them to measure slip angle of the car. One you measure them, you can create algorithms based on multiple onboard sensors to infer what the cars slip angle is. Combine all this info and program the traction control systems for when the car doesn't have the high fidelity GPS.
Info on slip angle:
Perfect time to do this type of data gathering would be on a racetrack. The one in the video is Thunderhill west, just 3 hrs north of Lucid HQ.
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Lucid has now released the fourth installment of "The Road to Gravity" miniseries. (At least I'm hoping it's a miniseries and not a multi-season series.)
Am I alone in finding these low on meaningful content and consequently even somewhat annoying?
Am I alone in finding these low on meaningful content and consequently even somewhat annoying?
I think this series would have had more of an effect if they were release in between orders opening up and deliveries, IMO. They are also...a bit too short to really be impactful, also just IMO.
xponents
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Question for you dream owners, how is this comparing to the same time during the Air rollout?
It's about the same so far. We'll see when they open up deliveries and how soon after they will deliver.
xponents
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Does that mean you guys got videos similar to these? (after the 9/9 reveal I believe)
NoseyReporter
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The last one about aerodynamics was particularly blaaaah
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These "Road to Gravity" videos strike me as missing a couple of marks. I don't really understand the audience for which they're aiming. For people (such as many forum members) who are really paying attention to the technology, design, and detailed specs of the Gravity, they are far too skimpy on these details. At the other end of things, buyers who have not already made themselves familiar enough with the brand to understand how Lucids are built and tested are probably buyers who are going to be drawn more to its passenger and cargo space, its features, and its range -- things on which these videos thus far only lightly touch, if at all. Stamping machines, factory layouts, clay modeling, cold-weather testing, air flow and such things probably attract few potential SUV buyers to the brand.
I have found the many written and video interviews Lucid personnel have done beginning with the November 18 reveal cover the ground much better on technology, design, space, features, etc. The interviews with Peter Rawlinson, Derek Jenkins, Jenny Ha, Zeb Coughenour, David Lickfold, David Flynt, et al., are generally substantive and reasonably thorough without being ponderous. They leave us with a sense that we're hearing everything that can be said about the Gravity until the next round of production decisions are made. "The Road to Gravity" episodes just seem to be trying to distract us.
As hungry as I am for any details on the Gravity, I don't find myself waiting for another "Road to Gravity" episode to drop. I find myself waiting for the first production-representative prototypes to get into the hands of serious auto journalists.
NoseyReporter
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That was an awesome series. For those who may not know what Taz is referring to:
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Well done. I've only watched the first one so far, but I have to say . . . that van hung in pretty well against the BMW.
And it was interesting to watch the speedometer of the BMW climb up to 120 as Owen put the pedal to the metal. You could actually watch and absorb the climb as the speedo needle moves. I've unintentionally hit that speed in our Air during passing maneuvers in which the speedo climbed faster than I could track it and before I realized it was time to back off.
In most cars you have to learn and plan for how best to gain speed quickly. In Lucids you have to learn how to keep from accelerating faster than you intend.
We've come a long way, baby.
And it was interesting to watch the speedometer of the BMW climb up to 120 as Owen put the pedal to the metal. You could actually watch and absorb the climb as the speedo needle moves. I've unintentionally hit that speed in our Air during passing maneuvers in which the speedo climbed faster than I could track it and before I realized it was time to back off.
In most cars you have to learn and plan for how best to gain speed quickly. In Lucids you have to learn how to keep from accelerating faster than you intend.
We've come a long way, baby.
Batteryman
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One area lacking is the technological advantage, why not show ads comparing Lucid range with competitors vs battery size, shows 30% more efficiency with Lucid, show the large frunk, handling, advanced lighting, rear diffuser starting behind A pillar, compact engine, differential, low cd- all these add up to what this car is really about. It’s not about luxury, it’s engineering. Lucid should stop the “post-luxury” talk and elevate the engineering and EV tech advantages.
NoseyReporter
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All of them are pretty great.
Once you finish them all, make sure to watch the making of video:
As a kid, my friends and I would download these and share them with each other. It always felt like this series gave birth to the Transporter movies.
There also two newer hire videos:
Once you finish them all, make sure to watch the making of video:
As a kid, my friends and I would download these and share them with each other. It always felt like this series gave birth to the Transporter movies.
There also two newer hire videos:
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