Just came across this from Road and Track and hadn't seen it before:
It's also on The Drive:
www.thedrive.com
It's an interesting proposition, I'd say. On the face of it, the Air makes a lot of sense. It's got the big things right like performance, high efficiency, safety, and storage/space, but has some glaring shortcomings that would likely disqualify it from widespread consideration, at least for patrol duty.
The unreliable locking/unlocking of the doors is a non-starter and would need a full retrofit to something far more dependable, for one. As a federal agent, I wouldn't trust an Air to unlock when I need it to, and that is something that is extraordinarily important in the field. Similarly, the integration of computers of radios into an Air is likely not something that could be done easily or cheaply by any PD or up-fitter given how Lucid themselves cannot even figure out how to make a stock Air's software to operate reliably.
Lastly, repairs are not something that would be able to be done to any kind of scale that would make sense to a typical LEA. PDs have contracts with parts suppliers to stock their garages affordably, and It's not like NAPA sells consumables an Air would need to stay in service. Admittedly, this is less than what would be needed with an ICE car, but you'd still need rotors and pads, tires, fluids, etc. In terms of collision repair, forget it for obvious reasons.
From my observations, contracts are signed for vehicles based mostly upon budget constraints given that most modern potential applicants perform relatively similarly in the field. Vehicles that can be routinely serviced, repaired, and kept in service for long periods of time are highly favorable to LEAs because they provide the most bang for the buck. Because of these factors, if adopted, the Air would likely be a niche vehicle used for very specific needs and not for general patrol duties.
It's a good canvas though. Tons of space and a flat floor would allow an intrepid up fitter to be able to make partitions, window bars, consoles, mounts, wiring harnesses, door panels, prisoner seats, etc. As a pursuit vehicle, it'd be fantastic. Even a Pure would have no trouble reeling in speeders. Tourings and GTs? You'd never shake 'em.
It's also on The Drive:
The Lucid Air Cop Car Rides on Steelies and That's the Best Part of It
It's so wrong yet so right.
www.thedrive.com
It's an interesting proposition, I'd say. On the face of it, the Air makes a lot of sense. It's got the big things right like performance, high efficiency, safety, and storage/space, but has some glaring shortcomings that would likely disqualify it from widespread consideration, at least for patrol duty.
The unreliable locking/unlocking of the doors is a non-starter and would need a full retrofit to something far more dependable, for one. As a federal agent, I wouldn't trust an Air to unlock when I need it to, and that is something that is extraordinarily important in the field. Similarly, the integration of computers of radios into an Air is likely not something that could be done easily or cheaply by any PD or up-fitter given how Lucid themselves cannot even figure out how to make a stock Air's software to operate reliably.
Lastly, repairs are not something that would be able to be done to any kind of scale that would make sense to a typical LEA. PDs have contracts with parts suppliers to stock their garages affordably, and It's not like NAPA sells consumables an Air would need to stay in service. Admittedly, this is less than what would be needed with an ICE car, but you'd still need rotors and pads, tires, fluids, etc. In terms of collision repair, forget it for obvious reasons.
From my observations, contracts are signed for vehicles based mostly upon budget constraints given that most modern potential applicants perform relatively similarly in the field. Vehicles that can be routinely serviced, repaired, and kept in service for long periods of time are highly favorable to LEAs because they provide the most bang for the buck. Because of these factors, if adopted, the Air would likely be a niche vehicle used for very specific needs and not for general patrol duties.
It's a good canvas though. Tons of space and a flat floor would allow an intrepid up fitter to be able to make partitions, window bars, consoles, mounts, wiring harnesses, door panels, prisoner seats, etc. As a pursuit vehicle, it'd be fantastic. Even a Pure would have no trouble reeling in speeders. Tourings and GTs? You'd never shake 'em.
