Living with the Lucid Gravity: A Tesla Owner’s Journey

[socktucker]

For anyone thinking of a test drive, if it would help you decide whether to buy, or be able to sway anyone at home, you may want to ask the sales department whether you can take it for an overnight test drive. I heard from a friend that their local sales office was quiet one Saturday night and offered one to them to return either Sunday or Monday morning (he was busy and couldn't do it). Though apparently he had to ask if it was a possibility; I don't think they necessarily offer it unprompted.

or just see if you can open and close the frunk 10 times without an error. Bet you cant.

 

[borski]

or just see if you can open and close the frunk 10 times without an error. Bet you cant.

You sure do love making bets lol

 

[dcm]

I am not the OP, but if you look at the “bugs” thread, you can see a LOT less noise versus six or even two months ago.

It’s not without its daily oddities - versus our R1S that used Apple Key totally fine from day one - but the deal breakers are gone (for me).

Seriously, I don't see the attraction for using the phone to get into the car. For me, at least, I have to open the Velcro closure on the belt holster for the phone, wake the phone up, launch the Lucid app, and then unlock the car with it. I know that's not really a lot, but it's tedious. I simply carry the fob in my pocket if using the car, press the unlock button once if alone or twice if my wife is with me. What could be simpler? The fob works! I'm now updated to 3.4.4 on the car as of last night and the fob is current as of 3.4.1. Oh, and I carry the key card in my wallet for emergencies but have never had to use it.

 

[dcm]

Thanks Ron! Living in Holland, MI, we'll have to head over to Chicago to do an extended test drive. Hopefully they will let me take the car out for an hour or two and really dive into how it compares to our MX. I am guessing, from everything I've read here and FB the past 6 months, that it will drive like butter, be as quiet as can be, and yet have enough software issues to be maddening

You'd better reserve that test drive in advance. They book 1-hour drives with a sales rep. I don't think they'll let you just take the car and, besides, it has so many features that you won't even be aware of so you wouldn't get a decent idea of how the car works. And software bugs? With the current version of the software you probably won't see any.

 

[borski]

For me, at least, I have to open the Velcro closure on the belt holster for the phone, wake the phone up, launch the Lucid app, and then unlock the car with it. I know that's not really a lot, but it's tedious.

That’s not how mobile key works. Hitting the button in the app uses the internet to send a message an won’t work if your car is offline.

Mobile/Digital Key works by proximity, so you just have to walk up. No need to pull your phone out at all.

If you turn off proximity unlock, then you’d hold your phone up to the nfc reader just like a keycard.

 

[DeaneG]

On the Air, if you turn off proximity unlock, you just walk up to the car and press the door handle fully in to unlock the car.

Is Gravity different?

 

[DBV]

Seriously, I don't see the attraction for using the phone to get into the car. For me, at least, I have to open the Velcro closure on the belt holster for the phone, wake the phone up, launch the Lucid app, and then unlock the car with it. I know that's not really a lot, but it's tedious. I simply carry the fob in my pocket if using the car, press the unlock button once if alone or twice if my wife is with me. What could be simpler? The fob works! I'm now updated to 3.4.4 on the car as of last night and the fob is current as of 3.4.1. Oh, and I carry the key card in my wallet for emergencies but have never had to use it.

Guess I don’t understand why you would carry a key fob, unless using valet. I only use my phone to use my cars. Could not imagine not doing that, plus one less thing I have to carry in my pocket.

 

[dcm]

That’s not how mobile key works. Hitting the button in the app uses the internet to send a message an won’t work if your car is offline.

Mobile/Digital Key works by proximity, so you just have to walk up. No need to pull your phone out at all.

If you turn off proximity unlock, then you’d hold your phone up to the nfc reader just like a keycard.

Thanks for the info but, you can use the key fob the same way. After the first week of ownership, my Lucid app announced that the proximity lock/unlock would drain the fob battery quickly and it shut off the function. I was going out the garage quite often to admire the car or look at a feature. I turned the prox feature back on a couple of days ago and decided that I prefer to push the button.

 

[dcm]

On the Air, if you turn off proximity unlock, you just walk up to the car and press the door handle fully in to unlock the car.

Is Gravity different?

No different and you can also lock the car by pushing in on the extended door handle. That's how I broke mine! The service manager in Scottsdale advised me not to use that feature.

 

[dcm]

Guess I don’t understand why you would carry a key fob, unless using valet. I only use my phone to use my cars. Could not imagine not doing that, plus one less thing I have to carry in my pocket.

I have nothing else in my pockets (except, perhaps, a gun (legal in NM)) since I dropped my key ring into the console. I have a duplicate key ring in my motorcycle jacket. As regards a phone: to me, it's just a phone and I don't use it for anything else. ...And I would not trust my car to any valet (watch Ferris Bueler's Day off).

 

[prgarg]

You sure do love making bets lol

 

[socktucker]

No different and you can also lock the car by pushing in on the extended door handle. That's how I broke mine! The service manager in Scottsdale advised me not to use that feature.

I was about to say I got that method to work for a week then the handles broke and now my car has been in service almost a month.

 

[borski]

On the Air, if you turn off proximity unlock, you just walk up to the car and press the door handle fully in to unlock the car.

Is Gravity different?

No, good point. I just meant in the worst case, with gravity you can use your phone and nfc (once it’s out) as well. But pressing the door handle should theoretically work too, when it’s out.

 

[Kairide]

Seriously, I don't see the attraction for using the phone to get into the car. For me, at least, I have to open the Velcro closure on the belt holster for the phone, wake the phone up, launch the Lucid app, and then unlock the car with it. I know that's not really a lot, but it's tedious. I simply carry the fob in my pocket if using the car, press the unlock button once if alone or twice if my wife is with me. What could be simpler? The fob works! I'm now updated to 3.4.4 on the car as of last night and the fob is current as of 3.4.1. Oh, and I carry the key card in my wallet for emergencies but have never had to use it.

Having driving Tesla only for the past few years going back to using a fob is like going back to using a flip phone. Also Lucid was really generous in only offering one fob on a 6 figure car. I’m not paying them $250 (fob + install prince) for another.
Seamless integration with a phone as key is what is expected with EVs these days. Especially if you’re only giving one key fob.

 

[dcm]

I was about to say I got that method to work for a week then the handles broke and now my car has been in service almost a month.

Ouch! Mine was also broken for around a month. My wife had a nit with the passenger seat vibration mode. Lucid offered to pick up the cars in NM and rent us a car for the duration. We elected a road trip, our first, something like 435 miles. We had to wait for a month to get two slots in service at the same time. For the duration I had to get in the passenger seat and reach across to open my door. It's pretty easy to unlock by pressing the door handle but a bitch to lock it that way. I just won't do it any more. Oh, the fault with my wife's seat was a pinched air hose. I would have thought the seat massage would be electrical.

 

[dcm]

Having driving Tesla only for the past few years going back to using a fob is like going back to using a flip phone. Also Lucid was really generous in only offering one fob on a 6 figure car. I’m not paying them $250 (fob + install prince) for another.
Seamless integration with a phone as key is what is expected with EVs these days. Especially if you’re only giving one key fob.

So, if I wanted to use my phone (Android) as a key, how would I do that? It's worth a try.

 

[Kairide]

So, if I wanted to use my phone (Android) as a key, how would I do that? It's worth a try.

Wait for Lucid to release PAAK, that’s what a lot of us are eagerly waiting on.

 

[socktucker]

Ouch! Mine was also broken for around a month. My wife had a nit with the passenger seat vibration mode. Lucid offered to pick up the cars in NM and rent us a car for the duration. We elected a road trip, our first, something like 435 miles. We had to wait for a month to get two slots in service at the same time. For the duration I had to get in the passenger seat and reach across to open my door. It's pretty easy to unlock by pressing the door handle but a bitch to lock it that way. I just won't do it any more. Oh, the fault with my wife's seat was a pinched air hose. I would have thought the seat massage would be electrical.

Yeah they got me a rental and are working on it. Passenger side worked fine tho

 

[borski]

Thanks for the info but, you can use the key fob the same way. After the first week of ownership, my Lucid app announced that the proximity lock/unlock would drain the fob battery quickly and it shut off the function. I was going out the garage quite often to admire the car or look at a feature. I turned the prox feature back on a couple of days ago and decided that I prefer to push the button.

Yes, the fob works the same way. I have no keys. I would have to carry the fob in addition to my phone, which I already carry. That’s why people like the mobile key; if you already carry keys anyway, the fob is great.

And to be clear: when the app turns off proximity unlock, it only does so temporarily to preserve battery. It turns back on the next time you use the car.

 

[borski]

I was about to say I got that method to work for a week then the handles broke and now my car has been in service almost a month.

FWIW, this has been my main method of locking the car for four years, with no issues. Maybe I don’t push as hard? Dno.