Enthusiast Canceling after the Launch event - in Depth Reasons/discrepancies noted

[Dortreo]

No one has Level 3 Autonomy right now because it's too hard, Tesla will most likely be the first to truly unlock it, but others seem to be way behind. This makes DDP less appealing especially since it is expected to not unlock Level 3 Autonomy for possibly a good long while.

Unfortunately, DDP is required for Highway Assist. People are mainly complaining because Highway Assist is very sought after, not Level 3 Autonomy, especially after Tesla popularizing it with the younger crowd. People are complaining that Lucid is charging $9k-$10k to have access to features like Highway Assist when basically every other competitor charges at most $2k-$4k for the same features, and Tesla charging $6k for comparable features. I honestly think they should reduce the price of DDP, or add an intermediate ADAS option that includes popular features like Highway Assist for half the price of DDP.

Studies show a majority of consumers preferring features like Highway Assist are younger, more techy, and hate to have to fight traffic on their way to work. And a majority of consumers who don't care for features like Highway Assist are older, prefer to feel the car, and are likely retired and have more leisurely time with their vehicles.

Studies also show most new cars are purchased by older consumers, and most used cars nowadays are bought by younger consumers. Because younger consumers prefer features like Highway Assist, this will have a direct affect on the potential resale value of a vehicle with features like Highway Assist vs the same vehicle without features like Highway Assist.

Could you provide a few links to these studies, especially on preferences to ADAS by demographic? Interesting stuff!

 

[C28]

No one has Level 3 Autonomy right now because it's too hard, Tesla will most likely be the first to truly unlock it, but others seem to be way behind. This makes DDP less appealing especially since it is expected to not unlock Level 3 Autonomy for possibly a good long while.

Unfortunately, DDP is required for Highway Assist. People are mainly complaining because Highway Assist is very sought after, not Level 3 Autonomy, especially after Tesla popularizing it with the younger crowd. People are complaining that Lucid is charging $9k-$10k to have access to features like Highway Assist when basically every other competitor charges at most $2k-$4k for the same features, and Tesla charging $6k for comparable features. I honestly think they should reduce the price of DDP, or add an intermediate ADAS option that includes popular features like Highway Assist for half the price of DDP.

Studies show a majority of consumers preferring features like Highway Assist are younger, more techy, and hate to have to fight traffic on their way to work. And a majority of consumers who don't care for features like Highway Assist are older, prefer to feel the car, and are likely retired and have more leisurely time with their vehicles.

Studies also show most new cars are purchased by older consumers, and most used cars nowadays are bought by younger consumers. Because younger consumers prefer features like Highway Assist, this will have a direct affect on the potential resale value of a vehicle with features like Highway Assist vs the same vehicle without features like Highway Assist.

I agree 100% with this, though I haven't seen the study. I and my wife are in this age bracket (30's), both tech employees, and see it exactly this way regarding highway assist level 2 autonomy as important in our demographic, though it's just anecdotal to our social group I suppose, I didn't see the study you reference. Same as when we rent a car and it doesn't have CarPlay, people are annoyed.

BMW, Mercedes, etc build brands on getting people in on lower models then upselling over years, decades. Offering features like Level 2 Highway assist on Dream Drive Standard helps capture more of this 'millennial' demographic to upsell later on. For example I only selected the Touring/Pure because of the tech/software maturity stage of the Air (per your comments on Dream Drive Pro Level 3 being some years away) not because I could't afford the higher end models or the $10K up charge for DDP.

Any yes, I have driven multiple Lucid's, both Dream Performance & AGT. It is an amazing drivers car. I hope they fix this DD vs DDP and Highway Assist L2 issue soon without forcing a $10K upcharge on people for features standard in a Hyundai/Ford, as I fear it will cause them a-lot of cancellations or brand followership among a certain demographic as @invalidname notes. I really want to see an American Startup EV company succeed, and own no Lucid stock, so this post is not a pump/dump/short stock motivated one.

 

[noobzilla]

I understand the frustrations but I wouldn't cancel until the dust settles on standard features. Worst case would be cancelling and then those features thought to be missing will actually be included.

 

[Tesla2.0]

Dream Drive Pro list item is ONLY just added on recently.
- 360 surround monitoring (UX20 enhanced)
- Blind spot display (UX20 enhanced)
- Highway Assist (3 weeks old)

I think just Dream Drive is sufficient enough with Adaptive Cruise Control if one is sensitive to price.

The list of features is at Lucid’s discretion. Lucid doesn’t make balloon promises they can’t keep. Who knows if Dream Drive may included Highway Assist down the road. Right now they want to focus on Lidar related enhancement and equipments are prerequisite.

If you get your car this year, you get $7500 Fed Tax credit to offset DDP cost. If not, just wait for it. Lucid doesn’t have to bend over to make promises can’t keep. It’s your money, you will be missing out an awesome car.

 

[Mr_rhythm]

I would think night vision would very much be on the radar (ha!) and a possible future feature, as well as highway pilot and whatever else they can think of. But overall this feels like a need to differentiate DDPro from DD, and to justify the reason for the price. Since all levels above Touring include the full suite by default it was a non-issue previously. But suddenly with the launch of Touring and Pure marketing realized they have no feature other than 360 surround and blind spot cameras to justify DDPro, which all other cars deliver with just cameras. Only a handful of other manufacturers and vehicles currently include LiDaR, though many are on the horizon.

Most manufacturers take years to work out the kinks in their packaging/tiering - this is Lucid's first go, so it's understandable there are some pains with it.

IMO, they should offer a "premium" DD add-on that enables 360 and highway assist (lane centering). From there DDPro is available for those that want to "future proof" and be ready for the new features that WILL come. Because adding it after the fact will be significantly more expensive, if even available.

 

[wklglider]

Dream Drive Pro list item is ONLY just added on recently.
- 360 surround monitoring (UX20 enhanced)
- Blind spot display (UX20 enhanced)
- Highway Assist (3 weeks old)

I think just Dream Drive is sufficient enough with Adaptive Cruise Control if one is sensitive to price.

The list of features is at Lucid’s discretion. Lucid doesn’t make balloon promises they can’t keep. Who knows if Dream Drive may included Highway Assist down the road. Right now they want to focus on Lidar related enhancement and equipments are prerequisite.

If you get your car this year, you get $7500 Fed Tax credit to offset DDP cost. If not, just wait for it. Lucid doesn’t have to bend over to make promises can’t keep. It’s your money, you will be missing out an awesome car.

View attachment 6825

Highway assist is not 3 weeks old. It's at least a year old and was in the standard DD.
https://www.lucidmotors.com/media-room/dreamdrive-advanced-driver-assistance-platform (If Lucid delete this post, I'll cancel my order right away and will never ever trust them.)

 

[Tesla2.0]

Highway assist is not 3 weeks old. It's at least a year old and was in the standard DD.
https://www.lucidmotors.com/media-room/dreamdrive-advanced-driver-assistance-platform (If Lucid delete this post, I'll cancel my order right away and will never ever trust them.)

Oh? After reading I didn’t know there is such thing as Traffic Jam Assist. I haven’t gotten it. I must be happily duped.

 

[hydbob]

Highway assist is not 3 weeks old. It's at least a year old and was in the standard DD.
https://www.lucidmotors.com/media-room/dreamdrive-advanced-driver-assistance-platform (If Lucid delete this post, I'll cancel my order right away and will never ever trust them.)

Correction. Highway assist only was available in the latest 2.0.18 update. So roughly 3 weeks old.

 

[Tim-in-CA]

To all those cancelling their Touring reservations in protest, thank you for your sacrifice! Those of us in line behind you appreciate you taking a stand and will valiantly move up in the line

 

[PaulM]

Holy s***. Get over it. Until the cars are in production, everything else is speculation and it’s always been the case. The reality is that every version of the Lucid air is going to be tweaked as they continue production. It’s the nature of the beast.
This is going to be especially true for a brand new car and a new car company. I would not be surprised if several small issues that we are experiencing with our GT’s are going to be completely fixed in the much less costly Pure and Touring models.
If you were buying the car only for autonomous driving you set yourself up for disappointment… it’s not yet ready for prime time… lots of good articles on it all over the place. And even if the tech works there still government issues, and perhaps worse giant liability concerns.
Good luck finding a more comfortable and driver-centric auto than a Lucid Air. It’s not perfect, but there’s nothing else close.

 

[Steveinarizona]

To be fair, Lucid needs to prove itself on this also. We've all bought into the "Highway Pilot" coming in the future with no real ETA on when it's arriving so Lucid could play the exact same game Tesla is playing.

What I have proposed, and still do, is that Lucid should charge a reasonable fee for the unactivated hardware. Then charge a subscription (or one time fee) for the actual usage. That way, Lucid is protected on the cost of the hardware and we as customers are protected from a Tesla Like non existent feature set.

 

[wklglider]

Correction. Highway assist only was available in the latest 2.0.18 update. So roughly 3 weeks old.

3 weeks old in reality but 1 year old in the features of standard DD. If you only count time in reality, Tesla FSD is basically 0 days old.

 

[Tesla2.0]

What I have proposed, and still do, is that Lucid should charge a reasonable fee for the unactivated hardware. Then charge a subscription (or one time fee) for the actual usage. That way, Lucid is protected on the cost of the hardware and we as customers are protected from a Tesla Like non existent feature set.

Sort of like VinFast business model.

 

[wklglider]

I don't know if I'm being over sensitive or not. I feel like there is a lack of mutual understanding between GT/DE folks and Touring/Pure folks.

 

[Tesla2.0]

I don't know if I'm being over sensitive or not. I feel like there is a lack of mutual understanding between GT/DE folks and Touring/Pure folks.

I’m a future Pure folk too.

 

[Psymac]

I'm guessing you haven't driven the car, if you think it is overhyped.

Test drove the AGT at the West Palm Beach Studio. Have also test driven the MB EQS and Tesla Model X, and as well own an Ioniq 5. As additional EVs in the near luxury and luxury space come to market, at least to me, Lucid appears increasingly overpriced and as the OP is essentially saying, overhyped.

 

[hydbob]

I don't know if I'm being over sensitive or not. I feel like there is a lack of mutual understanding between GT/DE folks and Touring/Pure folks.

There does seem to be a rift, but I think it's because A LOT of the GT/DE folks absolutely love the car for what it is, an AMAZING GT and driver's car. There are shortcomings on tech, and a sizeable barrier to entry for some options, but personally, I think people are missing out just because they can't/won't/don't want to pay for HA.

 

[Tesla2.0]

Test drove the AGT at the West Palm Beach Studio. Have also test driven the MB EQS and Tesla Model X, and as well own an Ioniq 5. As additional EVs in the near luxury and luxury space come to market, at least to me, Lucid appears increasingly overpriced and as the OP is essentially saying, overhyped.

Again agree, Lucid wasn’t intended for value. Even if they fill up reservation orders of these cars, they may still in red ink. They have quality, margin and reputation to keep up. You can wait for Lucid come to midsize level in 2025+ when they get into price range of Polestar, Kia and Ioniq6. Right now, it’s just very different product of different materials.

 

[RangePerformance]

Interesting that some folks go to all the effort to create account on a Lucid 'Owners' Forum to let us all know their negative opinion about Lucid and how they are not going to buy one for whatever reasons, but hey its all good.

In my case I ordered a Lucid Air Touring as follows:
Touring - $95k
Glass Canopy - $4k
Surreal Surround Sound - $2.9k
Dream Drive Pro - $9k
3 years free charging from EA - free
Total - $110,900 and still hoping to get the $7,500 tax credit

In my opinion this is a great deal and would like to hear about the EV cars with similar performance and range that is comparable. As far as the DDP for the extra $9k, I am hoping something innovative and cool comes along over the next few years. If it does I am positioned to leverage those new features. If not, I am not going to lose sleep over it. This at least gives me the hope that something new and exciting will be released.

I would be more concerned if Lucid can survive the recession and high interest rates and burning cash at a high rate. Otherwise, I see great things in the future for Lucid. A very innovative and exciting company for sure!

 

[RM-S8]

There sure does seem to be a lot of "I WANT WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT IT" entitlement on here. Y'all know it's not a REQUIREMENT to buy a Lucid, right?! If Tesla or whatever car brand you keep comparing it to is so much better, go get one! Hell, if you need a ride to pick it up I'll take you myself. In my GT that I'm thrilled with.

My sentiments exactly.
I thought people are buying/reserving Lucid for a pure joy of driving it (after the test drive of course).
But reading the thread (i stopped half way, btw) I'm thinking all the whiners need to hire a chauffer and not to be bothered with self driving of anything.
Buy a Lincoln with a driver and be done with it.
Holly crap!