Air Conditioning not cooling the car enough

[DeaneG]

Here's an interesting tidbit for those who might not be aware. I went to a couple of shops yesterday to inquire about tinting and, more specifically, heat rejection. They tested the roof, windshield and windows and all seem to already have a clear ceramic coating that blocks 90+% of the heat. He tested it with a meter.

So the net outcome is that I decided it was not going to be worth $600 to apply another coat for minimal benefit. Oh well

Interesting - could it be that he was using a UV meter instead of IR? UV meters are commonly available, and our cars' windows do all reject 90+% of UV. IR meters are not easy to find.

 

[Bobby]

Do you have it already?

Yes

 

[Alex]

Interesting - could it be that he was using a UV meter instead of IR? UV meters are commonly available, and our cars' windows do all reject 90+% of UV. IR meters are not easy to find.

The UV does not generate much heat, but can cause skin cancer. IR generates the most heat. Window tint has to have good IR rejection and good Total Solar Energy Rejected (TSER). Most of the TSER values are for IR. Many tint companies spec a certain TSER for their window films, usually in line with the darkness of the tint. The problem is that most companies only block a narrow spectrum of IR. PhotoSync, for example, blocks a wider spectrum of IR using their "Nano-IR" technology which can block almost 99% of (a wider spectrum) of IR.

 

[DeaneG]

The UV does not generate much heat, but can cause skin cancer. IR generates the most heat. Window tint has to have good IR rejection and good Total Solar Energy Rejected (TSER). Most of the TSER values are for IR. Many tint companies spec a certain TSER for their window films, usually in line with the darkness of the tint. The problem is that most companies only block a narrow spectrum of IR. PhotoSync, for example, blocks a wider spectrum of IR using their "Nano-IR" technology which can block almost 99% of (a wider spectrum) of IR.

Exactly, I'm wondering if the tint shop used a UV meter and made an incorrect assessment that they were reading a reduction in heat-causing IR.

 

[Volund]

I was in Pleasanton, CA yesterday charging the car and it was 101. Just 10 min before I walked to the car, I set it to cool to 64. It was indeed cool when I got it. The I stopped at a shopping center for 30min and it hit 106 outside. Again pre-cooling for 10 min did fine. My lucky day? I will take it. I did not have to tinker with the AC on/off etc. I will surely report back after a planned trip in 3 weeks all the way from CA to Montreal Canada via Bakersfiled, Vegas, Denver, Chicago and back via Detroit, Indianapolis, St Louis, Albuquerque, Kingman, AZ.

Has anyone been able to confirm that Lucid blasts the AC in the car to get to a desired temperature of 64 degrees, or is it better to set it to 59 degrees to get cooler air?

How exactly does the temperature number affect how Lucid cools the car?

 

[Alex]

Has anyone been able to confirm that Lucid blasts the AC in the car to get to a desired temperature of 64 degrees, or is it better to set it to 59 degrees to get cooler air?

How exactly does the temperature number affect how Lucid cools the car?

I think the air always comes out at the coldest temperature possible until the desired temperature is reached. Then the fans spin down and the A/C seems to be cycling. At least that is what I observed when setting the temperature to 74º with the outside temperature at 110º. Setting a lower temperature did make the air any colder. Once the fan speed slowed down, it seemed the the air temperature coming out was still as cold, although I noticed a slight shudder as if the A/c was common on/off.

 

[SubSailor]

I’m looking forward to you trying out the new max setting in the software update. Essentially it sets all four front and rear zones to the highest fan and lowest temperature settings.

Thanks Bobby...I should be getting the new OTA soon. So far, vehicle is running great and confidence level higher each month. I will say that I have a lot of software features on my spouse's T-car that I would like on the Lucid but I have faith they will arrive. Still planning on getting a Gravity or Genesis SUV to replace the T-car.

 

[HariK]

Has anyone been able to confirm that Lucid blasts the AC in the car to get to a desired temperature of 64 degrees, or is it better to set it to 59 degrees to get cooler air?

How exactly does the temperature number affect how Lucid cools the car?

No idea.

 

[Dr Chill]

After playing with the settings over the last 6 months, I find that using auto and setting it to a desired temp cuts the fan speed too much. Now I just set it to 59 degrees and fan to 10, then turn the fan down as desired when the car gets cool enough. The metal roof and window/windshield tint, plus front sunshade keeps the temps down significantly better than in the glass roofed cars here in Sunny FL.

 

[Bobby]

After playing with the settings over the last 6 months, I find that using auto and setting it to a desired temp cuts the fan speed too much. Now I just set it to 59 degrees and fan to 10, then turn the fan down as desired when the car gets cool enough. The metal roof and window/windshield tint, plus front sunshade keeps the temps down significantly better than in the glass roofed cars here in Sunny FL.

Version 1.2.1 automates that very action. One button, all (front and rear) temps at the lowest and fans at the highest until you cancel it.

 

[borski]

Can you activate it from the phone?

Not yet.

 

[Halodde]

Even without using the max air conditioning button, I feel like the air conditioning is more effective than before. I would routinely have it set in the low to mid 60s on a warm day. But today I've been in the car for an hour and a half and I keep turning the temperature up because it was a little chilly. It's now set at 72 but it's over 84° outside. Does anybody else feel like the air conditioning is more powerful since the update? Of course it could be just in my head

 

[Ryrub]

OK...after 2-3 days here in Tucson of 100 degree plus temperatures, I can say my Lucid Air GT air conditioning is not doing well. I have done the cycling and tinting but the ac is a failure. I do not believe such a basic function would be this subpar on this price point auto. Hopefully a software fix is the answer but I think the ac was an afterthought compared to the other engineering marvels this vehicle has. I agree with most on this forum about patience but ac has been around for a long time. Not something that had to be reinvented.

Couldn't agree more I'm down in New Orleans and the AC just isn't good enough-now in advance if it didn't take 1-2 minutes for the app to wake up my car followed by 3-4 attempts to "TURN ON" AC which fail and cause me to stare at my phone for another 2-3 minutes until finally it goes on we would be getting somewhere. In my Tesla I just open the app and within 10 seconds the AC is on. Gotta be better Lucid.

 

[joec]

Even without using the max air conditioning button, I feel like the air conditioning is more effective than before. I would routinely have it set in the low to mid 60s on a warm day. But today I've been in the car for an hour and a half and I keep turning the temperature up because it was a little chilly. It's now set at 72 but it's over 84° outside. Does anybody else feel like the air conditioning is more powerful since the update? Of course it could be just in my head

It's not necessarily in your head. While providing the Max Cool function, they could very well have fixed some other bugs that were causing some people to experience less-than-strong AC. That would be my guess, anyway. The reports here have been so all over the place I was convinced it wasn't a hardware or design issue, but rather a software glitch of some kind.

 

[GMan]

Interesting - could it be that he was using a UV meter instead of IR? UV meters are commonly available, and our cars' windows do all reject 90+% of UV. IR meters are not easy to find.

That sounds more plausible. There's definitely a reduction (not elimination) of heat using the IR reducing tint I have installed.

 

[Volund]

Couldn't agree more I'm down in New Orleans and the AC just isn't good enough-now in advance if it didn't take 1-2 minutes for the app to wake up my car followed by 3-4 attempts to "TURN ON" AC which fail and cause me to stare at my phone for another 2-3 minutes until finally it goes on we would be getting somewhere. In my Tesla I just open the app and within 10 seconds the AC is on. Gotta be better Lucid.

Been complaining about the app climate control for months now. Wish they would fix it so we only have to click it once and not worry.

 

[Bobby]

Been complaining about the app climate control for months now. Wish they would fix it so we only have to click it once and not worry.

I’m looking forward to seeing if the new update helps with your concerns.

 

[Volund]

I’m looking forward to seeing if the new update helps with your concerns.

Did they fix the app on that function? Clicking climate control and it not activating and have to click it multiple times to turn on?

 

[CraZ8]

Completely anecdotal and subjective but yes the AC struggles to overcome the greenhouse effect of a car built well like a giant greenhouse. Compared to the wife’s Range Rover Velar which also has a full glass roof I can turn on the AC ( just the front mind you) to max with fan set at max and usually within the first 5 minutes on a hot sunny day I have to start dialing up temp and fan speed down. In addition max on the cooling seats will actually get painful on your ass after 5 minutes and I turn the seat part off and leave the lumbar area on but a lesser setting.
In contrast my GT can take up to 20 minutes to get comfortable and the seats on max you often wonder if they are on on hot days, although I can feel them on moderately warm days. This is not great when a lot of your driving is local and you are in the car only 10-30 minutes At a stretch. I wind up leaving the AC on when I exit the car as to not to keep repeating the process.
As far as the app yes you need to keep hitting the on button for remote cooling 2-4 times. Compared to my old Tesla model S I could watch the temp come down usually a few degrees a minute ( actually this was kinda fun) while my Lucid the temp change is maybe a degree every few minutes. It’s just glacial. I’m in New York so I really feel for you guys down south. I think Lucid is holding the AC back to keep the efficiency up. This is one area you need to over engineer or program because passenger comfort really colors an owners or prospective buyers impression of the car. I’m hoping the update really addresses these deficiencies as this is my biggest gripe with a car I love to drive. 20 k miles and counting. My two cents anyway

 

[Electrified]

I don't mean to spoil this Debby Downer partay; but I'm here to tell you the HVAC system in my AGT kicks ass and takes names, it does an outstanding job!

Set on auto, zones are synced (sync has to be occasionally reset) on super hot and humid days I will run both seat fans to bring down the ambient temp of those surfaces, and recirc the air. Climate wise nothing differs from the routine I do in my other cars.