[Edmunds] TESTED: 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Misses EPA Range by Nearly 80 Miles

[hmp10]

I asked when I took delivery of DE-Performance and was told the motors are different. I have never found anything published by Lucid that confirms this. However, it does make sense there is some component difference as if it were only in software then there would be no reason to have the 2 versions with different EPA numbers. DE-Performance / DE-Range.

Zak Edson, Lucid VP of Sales & Service, told me that the rear motor of the DE used a special metallurgy that was not used elsewhere in the line. He said it produced about 15 more horsepower and a more significant bump up in torque, but he would not disclose that figure or any other details about the differences in the motors.

 

[hmp10]

This is interesting...DE cars use Samsung batteries but all others such as GT uses LG? It certainly is a plausible explanation!

As for the comment in HP - why does Lucid claim a lower overall range with GT-P vs GT when they both use same tires and have same battery pack? I assumed that meant that the GT-P motors were slightly different than non-P cars.

I don’t know. It may be that the GT-P does use a different motor (see above post bout DE rear motor) but with the 112-kWh pack doesn’t produce quite the same peak output as the DE-P (1050 vs. 1111).

Remember that the DE-P and DE-R have different EPA ratings despite the same motors, same battery pack, and identical weight and aerodynamics. So there is probably something going on with how the battery packs in each version are programmed — one to optimize range and one to optimize power.

Lucid keeps very quiet about these aspects of the cars, and we’re left to do a lot of guessing.

 

[xponents]

Seriously? Cannot change driver profile while driving is a ding on the car? I used to rely on their reviews...

5000 mile review

I think thats a good feature, as lucid doesnt intend for the passenger to climb into the drivers seat and take over. Sometimes reviewers are idiots.

 

[joec]

Zak Edson, Lucid VP of Sales & Service, told me that the rear motor of the DE used a special metallurgy that was not used elsewhere in the line. He said it produced about 15 more horsepower and a more significant bump up in torque, but he would not disclose that figure or any other details about the differences in the motors.

A service person once told me the same thing. That the rear motor in the DE is unique. And a LOT more expensive to produce than the motors in the rest of the line. So I’m not sure they would have used it in the GT-P. Though, given the price hike on the GT-P, maybe? I would think that difference is mostly about the much smaller market for the P.

I do still wonder sometimes why they separate out GT and GT-P as two separate trims, rather than just sub variants, like they did with the Dream. There could be more difference between those two cars than meets the eye.

 

[hmp10]

A service person once told me the same thing. That the rear motor in the DE is unique. And a LOT more expensive to produce than the motors in the rest of the line. So I’m not sure they would have used it in the GT-P. Though, given the price hike on the GT-P, maybe? I would think that difference is mostly about the much smaller market for the P.

I do still wonder sometimes why they separate out GT and GT-P as two separate trims, rather than just sub variants, like they did with the Dream. There could be more difference between those two cars than meets the eye.

Edson told me that the Dream Edition was conceived by Peter Rawlinson as an engineering exercise to see just how much performance could be wrung out of the platform if costs were not as tightly controlled as they would have to be for the full production line-up. My guess is that it was meant as a loss leader to prove the chops of the brand at launch.

I'm guessing that the reason for putting the GT and GT-P out as separate trims has to do with the price difference. The Dream-P and Dream-R were the same price. It's like what Mercedes and BMW do with their AMG and M-class lineups which are ordered as separate vehicles on their websites rather than as variants of their standard models, with price bump-ups similar to that of the GT-P over the GT.

 

[Wait4Perfection]

I have a Touring with 20 in tires. I am now getting 2.5-2.7 mi/kWh. For a daily 80 mi round trip commute I lose 30% SOC from 80% to 50%. By the time I drive to work on that 3rd leg I'm down to 45% the next day and need to charge again.

It's been averaging 45-47 degrees F. Not sure if this is normal.

 

[xponents]

I have a Touring with 20 in tires. I am now getting 2.5-2.7 mi/kWh. For a daily 80 mi round trip commute I lose 30% SOC from 80% to 50%. By the time I drive to work on that 3rd leg I'm down to 45% the next day and need to charge again.

It's been averaging 45-47 degrees F. Not sure if this is normal.

That is definitely not normal. How aggressively do you drive? Is your trip hilly?

 

[hydbob]

I have a Touring with 20 in tires. I am now getting 2.5-2.7 mi/kWh. For a daily 80 mi round trip commute I lose 30% SOC from 80% to 50%. By the time I drive to work on that 3rd leg I'm down to 45% the next day and need to charge again.

It's been averaging 45-47 degrees F. Not sure if this is normal.

It also depends, what are your driving conditions? A lot of stop and go? Mainly highway? Also, 45 degrees is not optimal at all. Elevation changes?

 

[idiot900]

I have a Touring with 20 in tires. I am now getting 2.5-2.7 mi/kWh. For a daily 80 mi round trip commute I lose 30% SOC from 80% to 50%. By the time I drive to work on that 3rd leg I'm down to 45% the next day and need to charge again.

It's been averaging 45-47 degrees F. Not sure if this is normal.

Also, are your tire pressures correct?

 

[vraj83]

At 2,000 miles on my Air Touring with 20in wheels, I‘m averaging 3.0 mi/kWh. I have a heavy foot, good amount of stop and go, and am typically driving in <45-degree weather. On a recent road trip in warmer weather I hit 3.7 mi/kWh. Overall I’m pleased with efficiency and I expect things to improve as it gets warmer.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I have a Touring with 20 in tires. I am now getting 2.5-2.7 mi/kWh. For a daily 80 mi round trip commute I lose 30% SOC from 80% to 50%. By the time I drive to work on that 3rd leg I'm down to 45% the next day and need to charge again.

It's been averaging 45-47 degrees F. Not sure if this is normal.

With an 80 mile round trip commute I assume you are driving on a highway. At what speed do you drive?

When I am on the highway with my GV60, I typically get only around 2.7 mi/kwh (the car seems to be tuned for city driving more than highway driving) but I am driving around 80 MPH. Testing is done at speed limits and high speed destroys efficiency. In my case, I don't care.

But speed, temperature, elevation changes all eat up efficiency.

 

[Wait4Perfection]

It also depends, what are your driving conditions? A lot of stop and go? Mainly highway? Also, 45 degrees is not optimal at all. Elevation changes?

Mainly highway 80% of the commute and during rush hour. Open stretches around 75 mph. Otherwise stop and go when congested near work. Some elevation change, yes. Not all flat.

Tire pressure is 43 psi on all tires which I think is normal for 20 inch tires.

Today it was 57 degrees and I got 3.4 mi/ kWh so temperature seems to matter. But it still ate up 13% of battery for 40 miles instead of 15%. Maybe it'll get better when it warms up this summer. Also I'm at 900 miles on the odometer. Not sure if there is a breaking period like ICE vehicles?

 

[hydbob]

Mainly highway 80% of the commute and during rush hour. Open stretches around 75 mph. Otherwise stop and go when congested near work. Some elevation change, yes. Not all flat.

Tire pressure is 43 psi on all tires which I think is normal for 20 inch tires.

Today it was 57 degrees and I got 3.4 mi/ kWh so temperature seems to matter. But it still ate up 13% of battery for 40 miles instead of 15%. Maybe it'll get better when it warms up this summer. Also I'm at 900 miles on the odometer. Not sure if there is a breaking period like ICE vehicles?

The stop and go is what is killing your efficiency. The Lucid is heavy and getting it moving is a lot of work.

 

[AMG]

Took a drive from San Jose to Oakland in the morning with 45 to 50 degree temps running on 19's.. Hit the normal stop/go traffic and some clear straightaway going 65mph to 75mph. Averaged the 80 mile roundtrip at 3.7 mi/kwh... Not too bad.... Btw... what is the recommended PSI for 19's? I'm looking to potentially get 21" for summer and wonder how big of it hit it will be....

 

[idiot900]

Took a drive from San Jose to Oakland in the morning with 45 to 50 degree temps running on 19's.. Hit the normal stop/go traffic and some clear straightaway going 65mph to 75mph. Averaged the 80 mile roundtrip at 3.7 mi/kwh... Not too bad.... Btw... what is the recommended PSI for 19's? I'm looking to potentially get 21" for summer and wonder how big of it hit it will be....

49 psi. Tire pressures are in the owners manual.

 

[joec]

49 psi. Tire pressures are in the owners manual.

They are also on the door sills, if you didn't change sizes since your car was delivered.

 

[AMG]

They are also on the door sills, if you didn't change sizes since your car was delivered.

Thanks.. i bought it used.... on the doorsill, it stated the PSI for 21"... but when i purchased the car, it had 19's on. Thanks again.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Just as an update, by accident I basically drove like EPA on the way back from Boston, mix of 55-66mph with a few spurts of 70mph+ and look what my efficiency was, nearly EPA! These articles are dumb.

 

[1shah]

Just as an update, by accident I basically drove like EPA on the way back from Boston, mix of 55-66mph with a few spurts of 70mph+ and look what my efficiency was, nearly EPA! These articles are dumb.

HVAC on or off?

 

[Bunnylebowski]

HVAC on or off?

On at 70F, ambient temp was 75, wheels 19” at correct PSI. It’s just funny to me because in science if you try to replicate test results you MUST also duplicate the methods of the test. Why on earth not a single writer to date in automotive journalism understands this very simple idea is confusing to me.