EV Competition....Tesla Losing Ground. Can Lucid stay a relevant player?

[BS8899]

This posting (below) is about the fast evolving EV market and world-wide EV innovation and competition, especially in China. Tesla is losing ground, fast!

While we all believe Lucid has some good technologies with respect to its power-train, efficiency, and cabin design, Lucid's current progress is slow and buggy with respect to worldwide competition and Lucid will likely remain a niche player. If Lucid were to be a relevant EV player, it must substantially step up its game in innovation, quality, and delivery. Otherwise, it is hard to see how Lucid can be relevant in the Mid-Size market.

Yes, Rawlinson recently spoke about his 20/80 manufacture/licensing model. That might look good on paper as a thought-experiment. Reducing to practice is whole different challenge!

Following is a link to a recent YouTube-review on Tesla vs BYD. See also OoS-Kyle's recent China trip reports and his reviews of the upcoming competitions.

You can draw your own conclusions. It is not going to be a cakewalk for Lucid, PIF funds notwithstanding!

 

[Batteryman]

This posting (below) is about the fast evolving EV market and world-wide EV innovation and competition, especially in China. Tesla is losing ground, fast!

While we all believe Lucid has some good technologies with respect to its power-train, efficiency, and cabin design, Lucid's current progress is slow and buggy with respect to worldwide competition and Lucid will likely remain a niche player. If Lucid were to be a relevant EV player, it must substantially step up its game in innovation, quality, and delivery. Otherwise, it is hard to see how Lucid can be relevant in the Mid-Size market.

Yes, Rawlinson recently spoke about his 20/80 manufacture/licensing model. That might look good on paper as a thought-experiment. Reducing to practice is whole different challenge!

Following is a link to a recent YouTube-review on Tesla vs BYD. See also OoS-Kyle's recent China trip reports and his reviews of the upcoming competitions.

You can draw your own conclusions. It is not going to be a cakewalk for Lucid, PIF funds notwithstanding!

Yes, Lucid will still be relevant- EV tech is better than anyone else, ride/handling superiority, unlimited funds to make sure it will be successful. Don’t expect the Chinese to take over the entire EV market….there is more to making cars than putting in a sliding seat or a refrigerator

 

[DeaneG]

This posting (below) is about the fast evolving EV market and world-wide EV innovation and competition, especially in China. Tesla is losing ground, fast!...

This is why there are significant protectionist trade barriers to Chinese cars in the US. They'd quickly dominate the mass market.

 

[BS8899]

This is why there are significant protectionist trade barriers to Chinese cars in the US. They'd quickly dominate the mass market.

I think the competitive threat from the Chinese EVs is not just low pricing. Look at the high-end EVs that are full of technology and luxurious cabin appointments....OoS China EV episodes.

There is nothing that stops these foreign EV manufacturers from building factories in the US or Mexico.

Unless US EV makers keep pace with the technology and price-performance, they will lose market share.

Meanwhile, the current administration's policy is to take away EV incentives and promote gas cars.

 

[MJAir23TheGoat]

More competition is good for the segment overall.
Tesla still has the two best selling cars in the world with the Y and the 3.
They just refreshed Y. I don’t see them losing much ground globally especially bringing new models to the market in the next 3-6 months.
Competition is a good thing for the consumer.
I’m sure Lucid has some plans in order as well to become more than a niche EV co.

 

[momo3605]

This is why there are significant protectionist trade barriers to Chinese cars in the US. They'd quickly dominate the mass market.

i'm not sure that's true. If you look at the BYD offerings in Europe. It's terrible. They are 2-3x the price of their chinese counterparts. BYD Dolphin for example sells for $10k in China and $25k in EU. Sales have been quite bad as well

 

[DeaneG]

...There is nothing that stops these foreign EV manufacturers from building factories in the US or Mexico....

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/biden-administration-finalizes-us-crackdown-chinese-vehicles-2025-01-14/

 

[zmorganz1]

This posting (below) is about the fast evolving EV market and world-wide EV innovation and competition, especially in China. Tesla is losing ground, fast!

While we all believe Lucid has some good technologies with respect to its power-train, efficiency, and cabin design, Lucid's current progress is slow and buggy with respect to worldwide competition and Lucid will likely remain a niche player. If Lucid were to be a relevant EV player, it must substantially step up its game in innovation, quality, and delivery. Otherwise, it is hard to see how Lucid can be relevant in the Mid-Size market.

Yes, Rawlinson recently spoke about his 20/80 manufacture/licensing model. That might look good on paper as a thought-experiment. Reducing to practice is whole different challenge!

Following is a link to a recent YouTube-review on Tesla vs BYD. See also OoS-Kyle's recent China trip reports and his reviews of the upcoming competitions.

You can draw your own conclusions. It is not going to be a cakewalk for Lucid, PIF funds notwithstanding!

We should encourage our fellow EV owners to ditch Elon before Tesla goes bankrupt. Perhaps a merger after that between Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla to combat the Chinese lead in EV tech..

 

[BS8899]

https://www.reuters.com/business/au...lizes-us-crackdown-chinese-vehicles-2025-01-1

I don't disagree that internatio...household consumption are NOT made in the US.

 

[petergottlieb]

i'm not sure that's true. If you look at the BYD offerings in Europe. It's terrible. They are 2-3x the price of their chinese counterparts. BYD Dolphin for example sells for $10k in China and $25k in EU. Sales have been quite bad as well

There is a lot of enthusiasm about Chinese EVs out there. At the same time, watching the various video reviews, seems like they aren't entirely up to western standards yet for handling, and much of the technology is awesome in concept but less good in execution. There are also challenges, such as the recent discovery of subpar parts in Chinese Volvos being passed off as the real thing.

There is no question Chinese industry absolutely can build and financially compete with mass market auto producers anywhere in the world, but it's not as simple as them just unloading their cars form the dock and putting them on sale (even without tariffs). They would have to adapt and improve them, and this would inevitably bring their prices more into line with everyone else's.