First pre-production Gravity reviews are coming in

We finally got to test drive the Lucid Gravity which just nabbed an EPA range of 450 miles

It’s been a four-plus-year journey for Gravity – Lucid Motors’ second flagship SUV. Since it was first unveiled, I’ve followed...

electrek.co

 

[hmp10]

After a long day of debating yesterday whether the Gravity is an SUV or a minivan and wearing myself (and probably everybody else) out, I decided to cool it today.

But then I made the mistake of checking the Reddit thread on Motor Trend's review this morning, and my resolve collapsed, resulting in this post:

"Interesting. The first round of test drive reviews of the Gravity came out on December 10 and have pronounced it the best-engineered SUV on the planet, with power, handling prowess, driving dynamics, and passenger/cargo space off the scale. (See Motor Trend, Hagerty's Carmudgeon, Out of Spec Motoring, The Autotopian, etc.)

Yet this comment section is obsessed with debates about how it looks. No wonder Mercedes and BMW quit bothering to engineer great cars for the American market and started to produce bling-mobiles."

Sorry, folks. Just can't help myself.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

But who CARES what anyone else thinks about how a car / SUV / Minivan, etc. looks? It’s only the purchaser to whom it should remotely matter.

 

[Leftlane]

And anyone who complains about any small reliability issues with Lucid and then buys a Range Rover…..

 

[hmp10]

But who CARES what anyone else thinks about how a car / SUV / Minivan, etc. looks? It’s only the purchaser to whom it should remotely matter.

As someone holding a significant tranche of Lucid stock, I care whether the Gravity's looks will hinder its sales. Personally, I love the look of the Gravity and intend to drive one no matter what anyone thinks of its looks or my decision to buy one. But this is not one model in a dozen-model lineup. A lot is riding for Lucid on the Gravity's acceptance in the marketplace, and the extent to which discussions about its looks are overwhelming discussions about it merits as a well-engineered vehicle worries me.

For better or worse, American car buyers make purchasing decisions largely based on how they think their cars telegraph their self-images to others. It's been part of our heritage since the L.A. car culture merged with Hollywood moviemaking. It's why we're drawn to gargantuan pickups that you can't even load from the side or that require a step ladder to clamber over the tailgate or clean the windshield. It's why Escalades ply our roads. It's why Mercedes produces the visual joke that is the Maybach Midnight Edition.

 

[victoryroad]

A VERY deep dive into how the car was created. Probably the most detailed analysis, with some very interesting insights. Grab a beer, it's 40 mins long.

What more could we ask from the leader of Lucid? Peter's philosophy is exemplary. Interesting that he said that he is in charge of the software sector directly now and that Air will benefit from Gravity's software development. His pragmatism is super impressive. He is focused on solutions. His candor and humility are admirable. His vision to produce exceptional vehicles is unlike any individual of whom I am aware in the auto industry.

 

[AP22]

And anyone who complains about any small reliability issues with Lucid and then buys a Range Rover…..

I've had 7 British cars my guy, this ain't new to me

 

[Blue Lectroid]

As someone holding a significant tranche of Lucid stock, I care whether the Gravity's looks will hinder its sales. Personally, I love the look of the Gravity and intend to drive one no matter what anyone thinks of its looks or my decision to buy one. But this is not one model in a dozen-model lineup. A lot is riding for Lucid on the Gravity's acceptance in the marketplace, and the extent to which discussions about its looks are overwhelming discussions about it merits as a well-engineered vehicle worries me.

For better or worse, American car buyers make purchasing decisions largely based on how they think their cars telegraph their self-images to others. It's been part of our heritage since the L.A. car culture merged with Hollywood moviemaking. It's why we're drawn to gargantuan pickups that you can't even load from the side or that require a step ladder to clamber over the tailgate or clean the windshield. It's why Escalades ply our roads. It's why Mercedes produces the visual joke that is the Maybach Midnight Edition.

People Who have seen it up close say it looks really good. I am looking forward to seeing one in person myself.

I too own a rather decent amount of LCID, so I hear you about being able to be sold. That said, the Tesla Model X was no looker and sold rather well in its early days. This looks far better to my eyes and is better in every way as a vehicle. I’m really not worried about its looks inhibiting sales.

 

[hmp10]

People Who have seen it up close say it looks really good. I am looking forward to seeing one in person myself.

I too own a rather decent amount of LCID, so I hear you about being able to be sold. That said, the Tesla Model X was no looker and sold rather well in its early days. This looks far better to my eyes and is better in every way as a vehicle. I’m really not worried about its looks inhibiting sales.

I have seen it three times in person, and I think it looks very striking. But I would buy it even if it looked more mundane, as I've been craving the driving dynamics it promises to offer in a spacious people hauler for some time now. Until Lucid arrived on the scene, I never really thought I'd live to see it.

As for whether the looks will inhibit sales, I truly hope you're right.

If other people think I'm driving a minivan, I couldn't care less, as I've been driving minivans quite happily for over 13 years knowing full well what many people think of them. But I have never fallen as in love with an automaker's products as I have Lucid's, and it would be the biggest disaster of my car-loving life if this company went under over lack of buyer enthusiasm.

The Lucid Air was warmly embraced by the automotive press and engineering world, as it should have been. But it fell woefully short of Lucid's early sales projections. While the Gravity is hugely important to take sales levels and revenue up, I never expected it to solve Lucid's volume problems on its own but rather to pave the way for the more mainstream product that comes next with the Earth.

The imperatives of aerodynamics and space packaging are going to pull the Earth's design in the same direction as the Gravity's. If Gravity sales suffer in any appreciable way over the market's reaction to its looks, it would not augur well for the next product that absolutely must be a hit. One of the depressing lessons the Air brought home to me was how little the buying public actually values cutting-edge automotive engineering over things less related to actual driving.

I honestly hope to be reading this post a year from now while kicking myself for being such a worrywart. And I will happily invite you all to join in.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

I have seen it three times in person, and I think it looks very striking. But I would buy it even if it looked more mundane, as I've been craving the driving dynamics it promises to offer in a spacious people hauler for some time now. Until Lucid arrived on the scene, I never really thought I'd live to see it.

As for whether the looks will inhibit sales, I truly hope you're right.

If other people think I'm driving a minivan, I couldn't care less, as I've been driving minivans quite happily for over 13 years knowing full well what many people think of them. But I have never fallen as in love with an automaker's products as I have Lucid's, and it would be the biggest disaster of my car-loving life if this company went under over lack of buyer enthusiasm.

The Lucid Air was warmly embraced by the automotive press and engineering world, as it should have been. But it fell woefully short of Lucid's early sales projections. While the Gravity is hugely important to take sales levels and revenue up, I never expected it to solve Lucid's volume problems on its own but rather to pave the way for the more mainstream product that comes next with the Earth.

The imperatives of aerodynamics and space packaging are going to pull the Earth's design in the same direction as the Gravity's. If Gravity sales suffer in any appreciable way over the market's reaction to its looks, it would not augur well for the next product that absolutely must be a hit. One of the depressing lessons the Air brought home to me was how little the buying public actually values cutting-edge automotive engineering over things less related to actual driving.

I honestly hope to be reading this post a year from now while kicking myself for being such a worrywart. And I will happily invite you all to join in.

LOL…I am soooo not the type to kick someone if they made an incorrect call on something. I love that you put your worries out there.

I could be just as wrong!! We’ll see.

I actually think we will see a significant uptick in the sales of air as there are signs that Lucid is getting its marketing act together (the new ad is powerful), Air is now priced much more competitively, Peter is personally overseeing software / UI and Tesla continues to lag with the kinds of tech innovation that Lucid is now delivering.

We’ll see, right?

 

[borski]

After a long day of debating yesterday whether the Gravity is an SUV or a minivan and wearing myself (and probably everybody else) out, I decided to cool it today.

But then I made the mistake of checking the Reddit thread on Motor Trend's review this morning, and my resolve collapsed, resulting in this post:

"Interesting. The first round of test drive reviews of the Gravity came out on December 10 and have pronounced it the best-engineered SUV on the planet, with power, handling prowess, driving dynamics, and passenger/cargo space off the scale. (See Motor Trend, Hagerty's Carmudgeon, Out of Spec Motoring, The Autotopian, etc.)

Yet this comment section is obsessed with debates about how it looks. No wonder Mercedes and BMW quit bothering to engineer great cars for the American market and started to produce bling-mobiles."

Sorry, folks. Just can't help myself.

Internet comments aren't buying cars.

 

[hmp10]

Internet comments aren't buying cars.

True, but some of the people who write and read them are.

The first I heard about Lucid was from my brother in 2016. He told me about a new EV that was going to have 1,000 hp. I was dismissive, even more so when he told me the company was called Lucid, a name I assumed meant an Asian startup that would disappear as quickly as it popped up. It was what I started seeing soon afterward on car blogs and their comment sections that caused me really to start digging around about the company.

These days, a lot more people might hear more about the Gravity on social media and their comment sections than will see television or magazine ad campaigns. Except to catch the news or to watch streaming content, I almost never turn on a TV these days, and the only hard copy magazine I still get these days is "Discover" -- and that only because they failed to notice my subscription expired several years ago (or they keep sending it so that they can inflate their subscription numbers for setting advertising rates). The same situation prevails with most of my family and friends. While online magazines still run some ads, I have managed to tune them out in a way that was harder to do with full-page magazine ads, and I suspect that's the case with many people.

I like the new Lucid "compromise nothing" ad campaign. However, I saw it here on this forum (i. e., an internet discussion thread) but nowhere else thus far. I sent a link to the video to a group of friends in a text chain where we discuss cars, and that was the first any of them had seen of it.

 

[bryway]

Just stating the obvious here, but: From a purely utilitarian standpoint, the ideal embodiment of a practical vehicle for carrying people and their stuff is a box on wheels - a minivan. It's a shame that "shape" is so unfashionable. I think it's kind of insane that people buy things like Suburbans to less conveniently do what a minivan would do better purely as a fashion choice. It's completely illogical in 99% of cases.

I have been really excited because EV power/drivetrains can elevate the box on wheels form factor to something that accelerates and drives in a fun and engaging way, with lower CoG, huge torque, weight balance, etc. I was hoping the ID Buzz would be a lot better executed - not to mention they've been teasing it for so many years. I think the Gravity is a nearly perfect embodiment of the box on wheels while unlocking the driving dynamics made possible by EV drivetrain. I can't wait for mine!

And it does have huge minivan vibes. I'm hoping in person the proportions make it look more like an overgrown wagon. And I'm sort of torn because part of me wishes that it did have sliding doors. But even I, a pretty staunch minivan defender, admit to being swayed by fashionability too.

Hear hear! Totally agree.

I currently drive a 2022 Model X Plaid, which I'm kicking to the curb the MINUTE my Gravity arrives. I bought the Tesla "SUV" because I frequently haul stuff (people, boxes, etc.) between NorCal and SoCal. However, it's not as great at that as I'd originally imagined it would be. My MX has never felt like an SUV. Interior packaging / space optimization is a disaster; it's optimized for hauling people, not cargo (all that was avail at time of purchase was the 6-seat config). But I digress.

Frankly, I don't think the Gravity looks as much like a minivan, as it does a slightly larger sports wagon. Think 5-series touring that happens to seat seven plus all their luggage.

 

[bryway]

Exactly this...i don't see why you're getting upset. I also think it's cool to have a minivan that has driving dynamic chops. I've always told people, if someone made a Plaid-like Minivan, i'd be all over it. (I know i know, the model X is kind of already this but it doesn't have any handling prowess, and the falcon doors aren't very reliable from what i've heard)

Falcon doors on my 2022 Model X Plaid have been absolutely trouble-free. I'm still ditching the car for a Gravity for a bevy of other reasons, primary among them its (lack of) utility. Can't wait to have my Gravity!!

 

[drmaverick]

I echo the sentiments and concerns on here and would really like to see the company realize it’s full potential. It’s certainly an uphill task for any automaker but more so for ones like Lucid and Rivian.

The wide scale EV adoption has just not materialized as automakers would have liked. Everyone is struggling, BMW, MB, Volvo, Porsche. The numbers are just not there. The vast majority of shoppers prefer hybrids over EV’s. Tesla’s success was almost a mirage, they had no competition to speak of and created market segments and conditions where none existed before. It would be near impossible to recreate that success in this environment. The difference is that none of the legacy automakers would face an existential crisis if their EV plans don’t pan out as intended. It will be but a minor blip in revenue. Unfortunately for companies like Lucid and Rivian there is a zero margin for error, if they don’t want to end up being the next Fiskars.

It’s near impossible to gauge public interest and response. The Air is a great example. I for one think it’s a near perfect electric vehicle. I agree that in certain configurations it has an old school Cadillac kind of vibe but with the metal roof and stealth package this car looks awesome coming down the street. Mine’s a Touring in all black and I even removed the aero caps, I swear it looks like a Batmobile!

On the other hand something like the BMW iX actually sells pretty well. That thing is hideous. So who knows what drives public interest. Maybe the Gravity will be success after all despite it’s “controversial “ looks.

 

[DrZorro]

On the other hand something like the BMW iX actually sells pretty well. That thing is hideous. So who knows what drives public interest. Maybe the Gravity will be success after all despite it’s “controversial “ looks.

I can tell you what BMW's secret sauce is to sell the iX (which I agree isn't my stylistic taste either)... It's the crazy cheap lease deals that they are pushing to move those vehicles. That car is $90-120K with a lease advertised on their website for $699 a month...and I can tell you they are actually leasing them for LESS than that to move them. A family friend of ours ended up being talked into one at the dealership when that vehicle wasn't even on their radar because salesperson was like: "hey, here's a 100k car with a $500/mo lease"...they said "sure!" Ultimately someone is eating all that depreciation because we know that BMW wont' be work 80k in 3 years. Unfortunately, I don't know if Lucid will be able to push lease deals that are as competitive as BMW and some of the other carmakers. The BMW leases right now are even less than the fully loaded EV9 which is about 80k and leasing for about $700ish/mo.

 

[momo3605]

I can tell you what BMW's secret sauce is to sell the iX (which I agree isn't my stylistic taste either)... It's the crazy cheap lease deals that they are pushing to move those vehicles. That car is $90-120K with a lease advertised on their website for $699 a month...and I can tell you they are actually leasing them for LESS than that to move them. A family friend of ours ended up being talked into one at the dealership when that vehicle wasn't even on their radar because salesperson was like: "hey, here's a 100k car with a $500/mo lease"...they said "sure!" Ultimately someone is eating all that depreciation because we know that BMW wont' be work 80k in 3 years. Unfortunately, I don't know if Lucid will be able to push lease deals that are as competitive as BMW and some of the other carmakers. The BMW leases right now are even less than the fully loaded EV9 which is about 80k and leasing for about $700ish/mo.

Everyone is doing lease deals on EVs these days. Lucid is running similar leases as BMW. Lots of $500-$600 $80-$100k Lucid Air leases over the past year.

 

[DrZorro]

Everyone is doing lease deals on EVs these days. Lucid is running similar leases as BMW. Lots of $500-$600 $80-$100k Lucid Air leases over the past year.

Yes, but will they be willing to be that competitive out of the gate with their shiny brand new Gravity? If they do, they will definitely move a lot more of them! Honestly, I think it would be great for brand awareness and positive sales momentum...though somehow I'm skeptical that the leases for Gravity will be anything less than $1k/mo+ out of the gate. Probably closer to the $1500 level for a loaded one if I had to guess.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

The general public is “down on EV’s” this minute. And yet, the general public is incredibly fickle. EV’s are a better solution to transportation and they continue to grow in market share. Major transitions like this take time. EV’s are the future and Lucid will play an increasingly important role as time moves forward.

Folks on this Forum are not the only people who’ll will ultimately realize that Lucid makes a better product. And, that “phase shift” of public sentiment can happen in a relative instant. For Lucid, it’s likely going to be catalyzed when they release the midsize / more affordable SUV in late 2026. Gravity will build a bigger base, but a more mass market product will be the spark (just as Model 3 was for Tesla).

Change always takes longer to get moving than we expect (or would like!) but then gains momentum and happens far faster and more thoroughly than we ever think possible…

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

Lectroid what are you doing up at 4:30 AM ? Are you a dairy farmer ?

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Lectroid what are you doing up at 4:30 AM ? Are you a dairy farmer ?

LOL. My entire life I have been early to rise, early to bed. That said, I AM a farmer. My wife and I own and manage a Regenerative, Certified Organic Farm. We grow grain, fruits, vegetables and nuts. It's the hardest (but also the most rewarding) thing we've ever done. Of course, I also have a "day job" that pays the bills (and buys cars!). Where do you hail from?