Lucid Air Features and Configuration Questions

[Neurio]

It's too bad the video & audio quality was so poor, but I assume that was due to the live streaming. I would think they would have recorded this same test drive to a local drive, so if that's released it should be considerably better. It's also odd that these test drives pick up so much noise and yet the occupants are always commenting on how quiet the car is. Most importantly the testers seemed very impressed with virtually all aspects of the car.

I ended up watching it last night, as well as the video of the speech Rawlinson gave. They hooked up some Go Pros while driving and said they'd release a video on their YouTube page hopefully today. Not that it'll be all that interesting since it's the same, boring drive as the video above, unless they somehow include more interior clips of the Glass Cockpit or something...

Edit: Here it is

 

[Lucken]

It's a problem with mics on cell phones.

It’s too bad, because they were recording on another setup using a Rode mike which is a high quality unit.

 

[hmp10]

It's a problem with mics on cell phones.

This morning "The Kilowatts" posted a cleaner, edited video of their test drive yesterday.

In fact, the press embargo has apparently been lifted. "Two Bit DaVinci" and "Out of Spec Motoring" have already posted video reviews of their test drives. I'm sure more will be coming in short order.

The reviews so far are very positive and also seem very credible. While everyone who has driven the car thinks it's a home run, every reviewer has also noted substantive, though ultimately minor, issues that leave room for improvement, with some changes still possible before cars get shipped to customers but some now permanently baked into the pie.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

3 videos have been posted to YouTube

A little late. The complaint about the gap was interesting, not misaligned but too big??? I'd like to see when window is up. I'm sure there's a trick to opening the charging door, otherwise people will mess with it, put sugar in your gas tank, LOL

 

[hmp10]

I'm sure there's a trick to opening the charging door . . . .

I don't know what that was all about. You can't open the charging port on a Tesla by just pressing on it. It opens automatically when a key fob or keyed phone is within range and the port is approached by a charging cable. Otherwise, it can only be opened from the central control screen inside the car.

That's what the Lucid does, as I've seen videos where the charge port door drops downward at the approach of a charging cable.

 

[Lucken]

It behaves just as it does on my e-Tron. Once you’re close to the car the motorized door slides silently downward.

 

[Lucken]

This morning "The Kilowatts" posted a cleaner, edited video of their test drive yesterday.

In fact, the press embargo has apparently been lifted. "Two Bit DaVinci" and "Out of Spec Motoring" have already posted video reviews of their test drives. I'm sure more will be coming in short order.

The reviews so far are very positive and also seem very credible. While everyone who has driven the car thinks it's a home run, every reviewer has also noted substantive, though ultimately minor, issues that leave room for improvement, with some changes still possible before cars get shipped to customers but some now permanently baked into the pie.

Can you summarize their nitpicks?

 

[Lucken]

I watched this video and I must admit it left me a bit concerned. His biggest complaint was one of my highest value attributes, NVH. He felt some of Lucid’s competitors did somewhat better in this area and acknowledged he was disappointed at the noise levels in the car at highway speeds.

Unfortunately this mirrors my observations from virtually every video I’ve seen, regardless of what device was used to record the drive. My current drive, an Audi e-Tron Sportback, despite my handling & range complaints, is serenely quiet with truly well controlled NVH.

Since this is such an important quality for me, I will need to test drive the Lucid before fully pulling the trigger.

 

[hmp10]

Conner mentioned that it was primarily tire noise. Be sure whatever car you test drive has the tires you intend to order, as noise differences between tires can be significant. One of the things I noticed is that in the photo the car is wearing the 21" wheels, but in the video Conner said he was driving the 19" wheels. I think he might have been mistaken.

 

[Lucken]

Conner mentioned that it was primarily tire noise. Be sure whatever car you test drive has the tires you intend to order, as noise differences between tires can be significant. One of the things I noticed is that in the photo the car is wearing the 21" wheels, but in the video Conner said he was driving the 19" wheels. I think he might have been mistaken.

That may be true, but it can also be indicative of a noise insulation problem. As an example, the Jaguar I-Pace I owned was subject to quite a bit of variability for noise intrusion into the cabin based on tires. However my e-Tron is far less prone to this regardless of the tires or their size. The obvious reason is that the e-Tron has far better road isolation than the I-Pace and thus is far less sensitive to the tire choice.

Likewise, it may be, like the I-Pace, the Lucid is also 'plagued' with a lesser degree of sound deadening road insulation and thus more sensitive to the tires.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

That may be true, but it can also be indicative of a noise insulation problem. As an example, the Jaguar I-Pace I owned was subject to quite a bit of variability for noise intrusion into the cabin based on tires. However my e-Tron is far less prone to this regardless of the tires or their size. The obvious reason is that the e-Tron has far better road isolation than the I-Pace and thus is far less sensitive to the tire choice.

Likewise, it may be, like the I-Pace, the Lucid is also 'plagued' with a lesser degree of sound deadening road insulation and thus more sensitive to the tires.

What type of range does e-Tron have? Sound insulation adds weight. Tread pattern and profile plays a big role. Here in Indiana the asphalt is quieter than the concrete paved sections of road.

Personally, I'm heavily into audio so I can expect to have music playing at a level that should drown out most asphalt road noise. Primary music genres are jazz and movie soundtracks.

I will probably use my SPL to set max volume levels when I take delivery. 85dB = 8 hours, 88dB = 4 hours max.

 

[WildRide47]

3 things on my list of turn offs are 1. rattles 2. tire and road noise. 3. digital instead of manual volume, HVAC controls (glad to see that Lucid did not go the way of Tesla and Porsche in this respect). I'm planning to visit a friend in Scottsdale in early January and have asked my SA to set up a test drive for me. I have a GT Air on order. My test drive will determine how the seats feel etc, and my above concerns before I pull the trigger. Similar to what Lucken stated.

 

[Lucken]

What type of range does e-Tron have? Sound insulation adds weight. Tread pattern and profile plays a big role. Here in Indiana the asphalt is quieter than the concrete paved sections of road.

Personally, I'm heavily into audio so I can expect to have music playing at a level that should drown out most asphalt road noise. Primary music genres are jazz and movie soundtracks.

I will probably use my SPL to set max volume levels when I take delivery. 85dB = 8 hours, 88dB = 4 hours max.

The range of the e-Tron is its single biggest weakness. My real world range is about 230 miles. However, with that said, I’d gladly take the weight hit in the Lucid for better road insulation. I can’t imagine that the sacrifice for that piece of the noise suppression puzzle can be so detrimental to range. The e-Tron’s entire drivetrain is the major issue in the range problem. I seriously doubt the insulation responsible for road noise suppression is a major player.

I am not a fan of raising the volume of the audio system to mask noise. I can do that in a Toyota Corolla.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

The range of the e-Tron is it’s single biggest weakness. My real world range is about 230 miles. However, with that said, I’d gladly take the weight hit in the Lucid for better road insulation. I can’t imagine that the sacrifice for that piece of the noise suppression puzzle can be so detrimental to range. The e-Tron’s entire drivetrain is the major issue in the range problem. I seriously doubt the insulation responsible for road noise suppression is a major player.

I am not a fan of raising the volume of the audio system to mask noise. I can do that in a Toyota Corolla.

One thing I noticed watching Out of Spec video again, he's not wearing a lavalier mic, so sound is from GoPro, so some transmission from being attached to glass

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

3 things on my list of turn offs are 1. rattles 2. tire and road noise. 3. digital instead of manual volume, HVAC controls (glad to see that Lucid did not go the way of Tesla and Porsche in this respect). I'm planning to visit a friend in Scottsdale in early January and have asked my SA to set up a test drive for me. I have a GT Air on order. My test drive will determine how the seats feel etc, and my above concerns before I pull the trigger. Similar to what Lucken stated.

I think we have to accept some road noise. I read somewhere that it is over accentuated since there's no engine noise.

 

[Lucken]

I think we have to accept some road noise. I read somewhere that it is over accentuated since there's no engine noise.

But that’s true of all electric cars, including the e-Tron. Good sound engineering can greatly suppress road noise regardless of the absence of typical ICE noises.

As for the choice of mics, remember we’re also going by his subjective comments having driven and ridden in the car, not just the audio we heard.

We’ll all have to hear for ourselves in a test drive. For some of us greater acceleration is the major factor. For others it’s the luxury car signature of well controlled NVH.

We each have key elements that make for a love or hate relationship.

 

[hmp10]

It's important to remember that Kyle Conner, an auto journalist whom I respect, is the only one thus far who has made much of a point of tire noise at highway speeds. Other reviewers who rode in the cars made equally pointed remarks about how quiet the car was. "The Drive" review even likened it to a sound isolation chamber when riding in traffic on New York's West Side Highway. "Motor Trend" landed more in the middle, noting some noise but finding it well within bounds for that class of car. I learned a long time ago from reading reviews of Tesla Model S' supposedly spacious interior that beauty (and size and noise) really is in the eyes and ears of the beholder. Zak Edson of Lucid told me that Lucid benchmarked the Air's NVH against the Mercedes S Class and that Lucid exceeded the Mercedes metrics. Whether a buyer will agree should rest on that buyer's own experience when testing the car.

It's too early to tell whether Conner will be an outlier in some of his assessments. He disliked the thickness of the steering wheel, something other reviewers have made a point of complimenting. He thought the regenerative braking was perfectly mapped. Yet the "Mashable" reviewer found it so extreme that one would almost have to relearn one-pedal driving techniques if they have had other EVs. Conner said that the car he drove yesterday was really oriented toward the luxury market where buyers want no raw edges on acceleration and vehicle dynamics. Yet Jonny Lieberman of "Motor Trend" was just as emphatic in talking about what a power and handling beast the car was on the Angeles Crest Highway, where he likened the car to a NISMO GT-R -- and Lieberman wasn't even driving the Performance version. There could not have been two more opposite conclusions from seasoned auto reviewers on something as core to the nature of the car as its power curve and handling dynamics.

The good news for later reservation holders is that they will have an opportunity to test drive the cars themselves, and they should definitely do so if there's any doubt that it might fail in a critical dimension for that buyer.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

It's important to remember that Kyle Conner, an auto journalist whom I respect, is the only one thus far who has made much of a point of tire noise at highway speeds. Other reviewers who rode in the cars made equally pointed remarks about how quiet the car was. "The Drive" review even likened it to a sound isolation chamber when riding in traffic on New York's West Side Highway. "Motor Trend" landed more in the middle, noting some noise but finding it well within bounds for that class of car. I learned a long time ago from reading reviews of Tesla Model S' supposedly spacious interior that beauty (and size and noise) really is in the eyes and ears of the beholder. Zak Edson of Lucid told me that Lucid benchmarked the Air's NVH against the Mercedes S Class and that Lucid exceeded the Mercedes metrics. Whether a buyer will agree should rest on that buyer's own experience when testing the car.

It's too early to tell whether Conner will be an outlier in some of his assessments. He disliked the thickness of the steering wheel, something other reviewers have made a point of complimenting. He thought the regenerative braking was perfectly mapped. Yet the "Mashable" reviewer found it so extreme that one would almost have to relearn one-pedal driving techniques if they have had other EVs. Conner said that the car he drove yesterday was really oriented toward the luxury market where buyers want no raw edges on acceleration and vehicle dynamics. Yet Jonny Lieberman of "Motor Trend" was just as emphatic in talking about what a power and handling beast the car was on the Angeles Crest Highway, where he likened the car to a NISMO GT-R -- and Lieberman wasn't even driving the Performance version. There could not have been two more opposite conclusions from seasoned auto reviewers on something as core to the nature of the car as its power curve and handling dynamics.

The good news for later reservation holders is that they will have an opportunity to test drive the cars themselves, and they should definitely do so if there's any doubt that it might fail in a critical dimension for that buyer.

These reviews liken to audiophile reviews. Listen for yourself.

 

[hmp10]

In an interview this morning, Peter Rawlinson was asked if he could commit to delivering all 577 Dream Editions promised in the SPAC filing by year end. Rawlinson hemmed and hawed and would only say they were doing everything they could. He never confirmed they would actually get all the Dreams out the door by year end. It starts at 1:15 in the interview:

A Dream buyer who attended the Casa Grande event yesterday (and absolutely loved the car after a 25-mile test drive) said he saw over 100 Dream Editions on the assembly line. However, none were in the Zenith Red (my color choice), and he suspects that color won't be among the early deliveries. If he's right -- and he probably is -- that means my being quick to confirm my order will not put me near the front of the delivery queue as I was told I would be.

C'est la vie.

 

[Neurio]

In an interview this morning, Peter Rawlinson was asked if he could commit to delivering all 577 Dream Editions promised in the SPAC filing by year end. Rawlinson hemmed and hawed and would only say they were doing everything they could. He never confirmed they would actually get all the Dreams out the door by year end. It starts at 1:15 in the interview:

A Dream buyer who attended the Casa Grande event yesterday (and absolutely loved the car after a 25-mile test drive) said he saw over 100 Dream Editions on the assembly line. However, none were in the Zenith Red (my color choice), and he suspects that color won't be among the early deliveries. If he's right -- and he probably is -- that means my being quick to confirm my order will not put me near the front of the delivery queue as I was told I would be.

C'est la vie.

Rawlinson said yesterday that the first batch of vehicles rolling off the line are for the marketing folks, so yours could still be one of the early customers ones not on the line yet. Who knows how many marketing vehicles they're making?