Gravity Orders Discussion

[msaunders9430]

I brought Tesla up because, like it or not, they rake in the accolades from all quarters for their software while Lucid has been crucified for theirs.

Yet, after over nine years of driving Teslas and three years of driving Lucids, I would take the Lucid approach to the total control suite (software and manual controls) over the Tesla approach any day of the week. And, believe me, Tesla's software is not as reliable as many assume.

The point is that Tesla -- which now calls itself a software company (when it's not a robotics company or whatever it's going to be next week) -- has been selling cars since 2008 and still can't get a new model out the door with all planned software features functioning.

And premium German carmakers are still pumping out cars that don't even have at-home OTA update capability, while century-old VW is stuck in a morass of software woes. And don't forget the Audi eTron that hit the market giving drivers software alerts that the car was due for an oil change.

In the space of just over three years years, Lucid has brought two car lines to market that shot straight to the top of the pack in EV technology and space packaging as well as taking a place in the top tier of driving dynamics. If they need a little time to nail down every corner of their software tent, then they deserve to be cut at least as much slack as every other automaker has been cut.

Some slack, yes, but if I get an update saying the oil on my Gravity needs changing, we got a problem.

I get your point.

 

[marsarbu]

I know I'm in the minority, but I would rather have less features that work consistently, then more features that work 75% of the time.

 

[msaunders9430]

I completely agree with this!!! I always thought that the software in my Tesla M3P was garbage. The interface is a total non-intuitive kludge, I needed to reboot it weekly to correct one crash or another and functions that worked one day would not the next. I have found my 2025 AGT to be far better from a UX standpoint in year 3 of the model’s life than my Tesla’s was after six years!

Your comments, along with @hmp10 and other Tesla owners, about your experiences with your Teslas kinda help me in continuing to assess or reassess my mindset toward purchasing my first ev.

Honestly, if the Gravity was not on the market, as much as I want an ev, I don't think I'd buy something else.
I don't need a new car. I want a new car for what I consider a milestone birthday this year.
I tend to keep cars a long time probably because I like them enough and rarely see something else I'd like to buy.
There are few cars on the road that intrigue me enough to want to buy them. EV and ICE.
I could easily just go buy an R1S, Lyric, Polestar 3, etc. and scratch my ev itch. I'd like to believe I'd do that if Gravity were not coming, but I'm not sure.
Or buy a Genesis GV80, Highlander, etc. and be done with having a new car.

To keep this from becoming a TLDR post, I'll get to my question:
When you purchased your Tesla, were there other EVs that piqued your interest and were serious competitors to your Tesla or was the Tesla the clear and possibly only choice for you?
Were the features of your Tesla sufficient to sell you, despite any known issues? Meaning, did you like it so much you were willing to accept the issues, knowing improvements would be made?
Considering the issues you had with your Tesla (garbage software), did you ever consider trading it in for another ev or was there nothing else to consider until the Air?

I'm not in that boat.
I wish I did at least like some other ev enough to seriously consider it without feeling like I'm just settling for less just to have my first ev.
If Gravity, God forbid, proves to be a huge disappointment, I probably wouldn't buy anything.
I think that is what excites me so much about the Gravity.
It's kinda like meeting the girl of your dreams maybe.
The only thing is sometimes that girl turns out to be bats__t crazy. Good thing is, if the warranty is still active (you didn't marry her and move to Paris), you can go back to the marketplace.
The thing about the Gravity though is, she maybe the crazy dream girl, but she's going to therapy (aka OTA updates, service center visits, etc.) and getting better.

Maybe I just had to type this long post just to acknowledge what I already know; people buys cars for different reasons.
Feel free to just respond with "Go watch a movie or something. It's another day and no, the Gravity is still not available yet."

 

[Knucklehead]

Your comments, along with @hmp10 and other Tesla owners, about your experiences with your Teslas kinda help me in continuing to assess or reassess my mindset toward purchasing my first ev.

Honestly, if the Gravity was not on the market, as much as I want an ev, I don't think I'd buy something else.
I don't need a new car. I want a new car for what I consider a milestone birthday this year.
I tend to keep cars a long time probably because I like them enough and rarely see something else I'd like to buy.
There are few cars on the road that intrigue me enough to want to buy them. EV and ICE.
I could easily just go buy an R1S, Lyric, Polestar 3, etc. and scratch my ev itch. I'd like to believe I'd do that if Gravity were not coming, but I'm not sure.
Or buy a Genesis GV80, Highlander, etc. and be done with having a new car.

To keep this from becoming a TLDR post, I'll get to my question:
When you purchased your Tesla, were there other EVs that piqued your interest and were serious competitors to your Tesla or was the Tesla the clear and possibly only choice for you?
Were the features of your Tesla sufficient to sell you, despite any known issues? Meaning, did you like it so much you were willing to accept the issues, knowing improvements would be made?
Considering the issues you had with your Tesla (garbage software), did you ever consider trading it in for another ev or was there nothing else to consider until the Air?

I'm not in that boat.
I wish I did at least like some other ev enough to seriously consider it without feeling like I'm just settling for less just to have my first ev.
If Gravity, God forbid, proves to be a huge disappointment, I probably wouldn't buy anything.
I think that is what excites me so much about the Gravity.
It's kinda like meeting the girl of your dreams maybe.
The only thing is sometimes that girl turns out to be bats__t crazy. Good thing is, if the warranty is still active (you didn't marry her and move to Paris), you can go back to the marketplace.
The thing about the Gravity though is, she maybe the crazy dream girl, but she's going to therapy (aka OTA updates, service center visits, etc.) and getting better.

Maybe I just had to type this long post just to acknowledge what I already know; people buys cars for different reasons.
Feel free to just respond with "Go watch a movie or something. It's another day and no, the Gravity is still not available yet."

Just curious - what is your intended use case for the Gravity? Lots of road trips, or just local driving? Do you expect to fill it up with people, or cargo? (Or both, LOL.)

 

[msaunders9430]

I know I'm in the minority, but I would rather have less features that work consistently, then more features that work 75% of the time.

As my oldest son likes to say "that's a fair point".

 

[hmp10]

I know I'm in the minority, but I would rather have less features that work consistently, then more features that work 75% of the time.

I'm not sure it's a zero-sum game or a direct trade-off. Good IT teams can make a lot of features work. Bad ones, such as the ones apparently at VW, for example, can't make much of anything work.

 

[msaunders9430]

Just curious - what is your intended use case for the Gravity? Lots of road trips, or just local driving? Do you expect to fill it up with people, or cargo? (Or both, LOL.)

Intended Use Case:

1. Local driving - Recently (year and a half) retired, so no work commute. Although even when working, I worked in technology and had to drive to an office maybe twice a week. Daily driving now consists of the gym, state or local park for cycling or hiking, scenic areas (lakes mostly) for outdoor time (reading, noodling on trumpet, just being outdoors).
2. Cargo - cycling gear, backpacks, occasional groceries (I do a mean takeout too). Lumber and hardware stuff will go in my Honda Element; Gravity is too good for that stuff.
3. People - my wife and I for now have three small granddaughters, (ages 1, 3, and 5) that we plan to take on outings (parks, pick up sweets the parents won't know about), eventual beach trips when we're sure we can manage all three at the same time without their parents.
4. Road trips - For the first year I probably won't take the Gravity too far until I get a sense of what issues exist and how they are handled. Eventuallly, nothing over 300 miles each way. Anything longer we either take train or fly. However, with the range of the Gravity and as the charging infrastructure expands the travel distance could increase.

Honestly, my main reason for purchase is:

1. I want an ev. Never had one before, like technology and the idea of software-driven ev intrigues me.
2. If and when my current ICE car bites the dust and I choose to not have it repaired, I have a new daily driver. In addition to my wife's ICE car.
3. We are empty nesters now, having raised three children. I've driven Toyotas and Hondas because of their practical use and value while raising children. Also, not really a car guy. I always said I would get a "fun car" like a Porsche, Audi, Benz, BMW when I retired, but was leery of the mechanical issues sometimes associated with the ICE versions of those brands. A few of my brothers and sisters were always owners of Porsche, Benz, or BMW so I knew the possible ownership responsibilities. So no ICE car from those brands for sure.
4. I want to be free of buying gas (so antiquated). Tired of dealing with all the fluids (oil, differential, transmission, etc.) along with belts, hoses, etc. And yet I know EVs have some fluids (brake, coolant), but the overall maintenance is less than and ICE car.

How'd I do doctor?
Am I gonna live?
Am I insane? Don't answer that.

I will confess, when I told my wife I was getting a new car, she laughed and asked "where are you going to drive it".

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Your comments, along with @hmp10 and other Tesla owners, about your experiences with your Teslas kinda help me in continuing to assess or reassess my mindset toward purchasing my first ev.

Honestly, if the Gravity was not on the market, as much as I want an ev, I don't think I'd buy something else.
I don't need a new car. I want a new car for what I consider a milestone birthday this year.
I tend to keep cars a long time probably because I like them enough and rarely see something else I'd like to buy.
There are few cars on the road that intrigue me enough to want to buy them. EV and ICE.
I could easily just go buy an R1S, Lyric, Polestar 3, etc. and scratch my ev itch. I'd like to believe I'd do that if Gravity were not coming, but I'm not sure.
Or buy a Genesis GV80, Highlander, etc. and be done with having a new car.

To keep this from becoming a TLDR post, I'll get to my question:
When you purchased your Tesla, were there other EVs that piqued your interest and were serious competitors to your Tesla or was the Tesla the clear and possibly only choice for you?
Were the features of your Tesla sufficient to sell you, despite any known issues? Meaning, did you like it so much you were willing to accept the issues, knowing improvements would be made?
Considering the issues you had with your Tesla (garbage software), did you ever consider trading it in for another ev or was there nothing else to consider until the Air?

I'm not in that boat.
I wish I did at least like some other ev enough to seriously consider it without feeling like I'm just settling for less just to have my first ev.
If Gravity, God forbid, proves to be a huge disappointment, I probably wouldn't buy anything.
I think that is what excites me so much about the Gravity.
It's kinda like meeting the girl of your dreams maybe.
The only thing is sometimes that girl turns out to be bats__t crazy. Good thing is, if the warranty is still active (you didn't marry her and move to Paris), you can go back to the marketplace.
The thing about the Gravity though is, she maybe the crazy dream girl, but she's going to therapy (aka OTA updates, service center visits, etc.) and getting better.

Maybe I just had to type this long post just to acknowledge what I already know; people buys cars for different reasons.
Feel free to just respond with "Go watch a movie or something. It's another day and no, the Gravity is still not available yet."

LOL, I actually enjoyed hearing you think out loud!

Some background. I have long been a "car guy." I've had different cars for different reasons throughout my life, but all were something "special," at least to me. My very first car was a used 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce that I bought in 1984. I've owned BMW's (the 3-series when they really were driving machines), an Audi (a mid-90's A4 Quattro that I hated), Ferraris (360 and 430), Hondas (the first CRX Si and then the Civic VX later), Acuras, Toyotas (one of the first first generation Priuses on the East Coast followed by a second generation Prius), the first generation Volt, second generation Volt and then my 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance.

About our Priuses:

From Guilt Trip to Hot Wheels (Published 2004)

Article on hybrid Toyota Prius, which uses gasoline engine and battery-powered electric motor, and which has become latest automotive fashion statement; photos (M)

www.nytimes.com

If you sense a theme from my previous cars, they were either performance / drivers cars OR highly efficient. The amazing thing about EV's is that you can have both -- in the same vehicle. To be clear, once I went EV -- even as rudimentary in many ways as the 2012 Gen 1 Volt was, I have never gone back, nor would I. Good EV's are a superior driving experience in every way imaginable. The ONLY use case I could justify ever dealing with an ICE again for is to hear an exhaust note like on a Ferrari, if I wanted a light weight toass about or if I did a lot of really long road trips regularly. Since none of those are important to me, it is an all EV future for my world.

My 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance, despite its crappy software and Tesla's HORRENDOUS customer service, was still the best all around vehicle I had ever owned or driven prior to my '25 Air GT -- which is better than the Tesla in every way other than access to the Supercharger network (which I really don't need with a 512 mile range) and "Full Self Driving" (deliberately in quotes because it ain't close to actually doing that AND as a car enthusiast, I never would let a car fully out of my control anyway).

The Lucid Air GT is dream to drive and I fully intend to buy it at the end of my 36 month lease as I like to keep my cars around 6 - 8 years. The only reason I sold my Tesla was because I do not appreciate driving something that has become a political hot potato, and with Tesla's leader becoming very vocal about his politics, I just felt that I'd rather not have folks assume something about me one way or another and so I parted ways with it. To replace it I looked at EV's from BMW, Mercedes, Polestar, Volvo, Fisker, Ford and Hyundai. None of them came close to being the whole package the way the Air GT does. Lucid's technology as it relates to what I believe cars are intended for -- to DRIVE -- is second to none. As a matter of fact, some of the EV's from some of the very prestigious brand I mentioned are comically bad in terms of being fun to drive. I fully imagine that the Gravity will be every bit as stunning a vehicle as the Air -- and in many ways, being the second Lucid model, it will certainly be better.

Not sure if this helps or not, but I'd be happy to chat in real time if you have additional questions. Just PM me and we could set that up.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Intended Use Case:

1. Local driving - Recently (year and a half) retired, so no work commute. Although even when working, I worked in technology and had to drive to an office maybe twice a week. Daily driving now consists of the gym, state or local park for cycling or hiking, scenic areas (lakes mostly) for outdoor time (reading, noodling on trumpet, just being outdoors).
2. Cargo - cycling gear, backpacks, occasional groceries (I do a mean takeout too). Lumber and hardware stuff will go in my Honda Element; Gravity is too good for that stuff.
3. People - my wife and I for now have three small granddaughters, (ages 1, 3, and 5) that we plan to take on outings (parks, pick up sweets the parents won't know about), eventual beach trips when we're sure we can manage all three at the same time without their parents.
4. Road trips - For the first year I probably won't take the Gravity too far until I get a sense of what issues exist and how they are handled. Eventuallly, nothing over 300 miles each way. Anything longer we either take train or fly. However, with the range of the Gravity and as the charging infrastructure expands the travel distance could increase.

Honestly, my main reason for purchase is:

1. I want an ev. Never had one before, like technology and the idea of software-driven ev intrigues me.
2. If and when my current ICE car bites the dust and I choose to not have it repaired, I have a new daily driver. In addition to my wife's ICE car.
3. We are empty nesters now, having raised three children. I've driven Toyotas and Hondas because of their practical use and value while raising children. Also, not really a car guy. I always said I would get a "fun car" like a Porsche, Audi, Benz, BMW when I retired, but was leery of the mechanical issues sometimes associated with the ICE versions of those brands. A few of my brothers and sisters were always owners of Porsche, Benz, or BMW so I knew the possible ownership responsibilities. So no ICE car from those brands for sure.
4. I want to be free of buying gas (so antiquated). Tired of dealing with all the fluids (oil, differential, transmission, etc.) along with belts, hoses, etc. And yet I know EVs have some fluids (brake, coolant), but the overall maintenance is less than and ICE car.

How'd I do doctor?
Am I gonna live?
Am I insane? Don't answer that.

I will confess, when I told my wife I was getting a new car, she laughed and asked "where are you going to drive it".

I think you will really enjoy the Gravity based on everything you said above. If you haven't done so already, go to a Lucid Studio and test drive an Air while you wait for a Gravity to be available. It will give you a solid sense of the brand's ethos...

 

[borski]

I'm not sure it's a zero-sum game or a direct trade-off. Good IT teams can make a lot of features work. Bad ones, such as the ones apparently at VW, for example, can't make much of anything work.

Given fixed resources, it is definitionally a direct trade-off. You can either fix bugs, or you can build features. One person cannot do both simultaneously.

You can split the team into two teams, one of which does one and the other does the other. You may even want to swap them after some time (we did this). Some sprints you may want to be feature-only sprints, or 'bugbash' sprints.

Every time I hear someone say this, they rarely realize that what they're essentially saying is "I'd prefer it if they had unlimited resources and time, and no financial or physical constraints within which to improve their software."

I, too, would prefer that.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Given fixed resources, it is definitionally a direct trade-off. You can either fix bugs, or you can build features. One person cannot do both simultaneously.

You can split the team into two teams, one of which does one and the other does the other. You may even want to swap them after some time (we did this). Some sprints you may want to be feature-only sprints, or 'bugbash' sprints.

Every time I hear someone say this, they rarely realize that what they're essentially saying is "I'd prefer it if they had unlimited resources and time, and no financial or physical constraints within which to improve their software."

I, too, would prefer that.

You mean Lucid doesn't have unlimited resources?!?! That's not what I thought I was buying. I want a refund!!!!! I cannot believe that I actually may need to wait for real hard working humans to get to the ever-expanding list of priorities that dominate every waking work hour of their lives...

In all seriousness, @borski I loved this post of yours. How many of us get through our own to-do lists in a time frame that would thrill everyone waiting on us? I know that i am damn efficient and hugely deadline oriented and yet there are just far, far more demands on my time than I can possibly deliver in the timeframes I'd like.

Hmmm, maybe I should get back to the newspaper article I am writing that has a midnight deadline tonight rather than procrastinating here!

 

[msaunders9430]

LOL, I actually enjoyed hearing you think out loud!

Some background. I have long been a "car guy." I've had different cars for different reasons throughout my life, but all were something "special," at least to me. My very first car was a used 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce that I bought in 1984. I've owned BMW's (the 3-series when they really were driving machines), an Audi (a mid-90's A4 Quattro that I hated), Ferraris (360 and 430), Hondas (the first CRX Si and then the Civic VX later), Acuras, Toyotas (one of the first first generation Priuses on the East Coast followed by a second generation Prius), the first generation Volt, second generation Volt and then my 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance.

About our Priuses:

From Guilt Trip to Hot Wheels (Published 2004)

Article on hybrid Toyota Prius, which uses gasoline engine and battery-powered electric motor, and which has become latest automotive fashion statement; photos (M)

www.nytimes.com

If you sense a theme from my previous cars, they were either performance / drivers cars OR highly efficient. The amazing thing about EV's is that you can have both -- in the same vehicle. To be clear, once I went EV -- even as rudimentary in many ways as the 2012 Gen 1 Volt was, I have never gone back, nor would I. Good EV's are a superior driving experience in every way imaginable. The ONLY use case I could justify ever dealing with an ICE again for is to hear an exhaust note like on a Ferrari, if I wanted a light weight toass about or if I did a lot of really long road trips regularly. Since none of those are important to me, it is an all EV future for my world.

My 2018 Tesla Model 3 Performance, despite its crappy software and Tesla's HORRENDOUS customer service, was still the best all around vehicle I had ever owned or driven prior to my '25 Air GT -- which is better than the Tesla in every way other than access to the Supercharger network (which I really don't need with a 512 mile range) and "Full Self Driving" (deliberately in quotes because it ain't close to actually doing that AND as a car enthusiast, I never would let a car fully out of my control anyway).

The Lucid Air GT is dream to drive and I fully intend to buy it at the end of my 36 month lease as I like to keep my cars around 6 - 8 years. The only reason I sold my Tesla was because I do not appreciate driving something that has become a political hot potato, and with Tesla's leader becoming very vocal about his politics, I just felt that I'd rather not have folks assume something about me one way or another and so I parted ways with it. To replace it I looked at EV's from BMW, Mercedes, Polestar, Volvo, Fisker, Ford and Hyundai. None of them came close to being the whole package the way the Air GT does. Lucid's technology as it relates to what I believe cars are intended for -- to DRIVE -- is second to none. As a matter of fact, some of the EV's from some of the very prestigious brand I mentioned are comically bad in terms of being fun to drive. I fully imagine that the Gravity will be every bit as stunning a vehicle as the Air -- and in many ways, being the second Lucid model, it will certainly be better.

Not sure if this helps or not, but I'd be happy to chat in real time if you have additional questions. Just PM me and we could set that up.

Based on your ownership history, having a Lucid was your destiny. This forum seems to definitely have its share of car enthusiasts. Make sense. Also makes me excited for what I hope to eventually experience with a Gravity.

You sound like my oldest brother. No longer in this world, but he always had a Corvette, Porsche, or Jag.

Your responses helped. The perspectives of "car people" is valuable when talking and learning about ... cars.

Thanks for the response.

 

[msaunders9430]

I think you will really enjoy the Gravity based on everything you said above. If you haven't done so already, go to a Lucid Studio and test drive an Air while you wait for a Gravity to be available. It will give you a solid sense of the brand's ethos...

I test drove an Air last year when one of the Gravity prototypes was at the studio near me.

Very impressive.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Based on your ownership history, having a Lucid was your destiny. This forum seems to definitely have its share of car enthusiasts. Make sense. Also makes me excited for what I hope to eventually experience with a Gravity.

You sound like my oldest brother. No longer in this world, but he always had a Corvette, Porsche, or Jag.

Your responses helped. The perspectives of "car people" is valuable when talking and learning about ... cars.

Thanks for the response.

My pleasure!

 

[DrLucid]

I'm not sure if you're responding directly to me or others. Since my post is quoted, I'll say, I'm definitely not dwelling on the past.

A reference to the past (Dream Edition owners experience) was made by another member, not me. So, perhaps that member will choose to respond.

@msaunders, sorry my first sentence was mistyped. It should have been- You have a valid point.
HUD and other features should be present on the models.
But more then that the lack of open realtime communication from the company is frustrating.

 

[Knucklehead]

Intended Use Case:

1. Local driving - Recently (year and a half) retired, so no work commute. Although even when working, I worked in technology and had to drive to an office maybe twice a week. Daily driving now consists of the gym, state or local park for cycling or hiking, scenic areas (lakes mostly) for outdoor time (reading, noodling on trumpet, just being outdoors).
2. Cargo - cycling gear, backpacks, occasional groceries (I do a mean takeout too). Lumber and hardware stuff will go in my Honda Element; Gravity is too good for that stuff.
3. People - my wife and I for now have three small granddaughters, (ages 1, 3, and 5) that we plan to take on outings (parks, pick up sweets the parents won't know about), eventual beach trips when we're sure we can manage all three at the same time without their parents.
4. Road trips - For the first year I probably won't take the Gravity too far until I get a sense of what issues exist and how they are handled. Eventuallly, nothing over 300 miles each way. Anything longer we either take train or fly. However, with the range of the Gravity and as the charging infrastructure expands the travel distance could increase.

Honestly, my main reason for purchase is:

1. I want an ev. Never had one before, like technology and the idea of software-driven ev intrigues me.
2. If and when my current ICE car bites the dust and I choose to not have it repaired, I have a new daily driver. In addition to my wife's ICE car.
3. We are empty nesters now, having raised three children. I've driven Toyotas and Hondas because of their practical use and value while raising children. Also, not really a car guy. I always said I would get a "fun car" like a Porsche, Audi, Benz, BMW when I retired, but was leery of the mechanical issues sometimes associated with the ICE versions of those brands. A few of my brothers and sisters were always owners of Porsche, Benz, or BMW so I knew the possible ownership responsibilities. So no ICE car from those brands for sure.
4. I want to be free of buying gas (so antiquated). Tired of dealing with all the fluids (oil, differential, transmission, etc.) along with belts, hoses, etc. And yet I know EVs have some fluids (brake, coolant), but the overall maintenance is less than and ICE car.

How'd I do doctor?
Am I gonna live?
Am I insane? Don't answer that.

I will confess, when I told my wife I was getting a new car, she laughed and asked "where are you going to drive it".

Your use case almost fits a sedan, except for the bike hauling. One thing that keeps me from considering the Air is the inability to add a tow hitch, and consequently a hitch mounted bike rack. I have to be able to take my bike to the trails without jamming it in the back seat, dropping dirt and crap inside the nice interior. The Gravity has a tow hitch option, as you know, so that is perfect for transporting bikes. Or towing the boat. LOL.

I am a new BEV owner. My first and only is the Ford Mach-e. And I love BEV ownership. If you take the plunge, you will love it also. What I like the best is the ability to refuel at home. My wife says she will never get a BEV. And then I tease her when I have to make a special trip to refuel her SUV. Because that never happens if you can refuel at home.

And you are right about maintenance. In 50,000 miles, I have replaced the cabin air filter, windshield wipers and tires. I think I need to do a brake fluid flush soon.

Oh, and I just replaced the 12V battery. Believe it or not, every BEV has a 12V battery. (Well, except for the Cybertruck that has some sort of 48V battery I think.) People new to BEVs are surprised that such a standard feature on an ICE vehicle is needed in a battery powered car. It is. And if it dies on you, you are in trouble. I think there are some Air 12V failure threads in this forum. For my car, a 12V failure means you cannot open the passenger doors. And the 12V battery must be replaced every three years in my car (probably the Air also).

For your use case, IMO the Gravity is perfect. If the price is right, I would go for the 22"/23" wheels. That will give you the best performance and it will be your Porsche equivalent. And the grandkid hauler. And the bike hauler. And even the 2x4 hauler, if you want to do that. Those wheels don't give you the best range, but you said you will rarely travel out of town, so go for performance instead of range.

Get one soon and tell us all how much you like it!

(Don't forget to install a EVSE in your garage so you can refuel at home.)

 

[msaunders9430]

@msaunders, sorry my first sentence was mistyped. It should have been- You have a valid point.
HUD and other features should be present on the models.
But more then that the lack of open realtime communication from the company is frustrating.

No worries on the typo.

As for the lack of communication, definitely could be better. I'd like to believe it's because they're so busy making Gravity the best ev suv, communications is a totally different department. Maybe the communications area is connected with marketing and they getting to release another ad. Super Bowl ad!

 

[msaunders9430]

Your use case almost fits a sedan, except for the bike hauling. One thing that keeps me from considering the Air is the inability to add a tow hitch, and consequently a hitch mounted bike rack. I have to be able to take my bike to the trails without jamming it in the back seat, dropping dirt and crap inside the nice interior. The Gravity has a tow hitch option, as you know, so that is perfect for transporting bikes. Or towing the boat. LOL.

I am a new BEV owner. My first and only is the Ford Mach-e. And I love BEV ownership. If you take the plunge, you will love it also. What I like the best is the ability to refuel at home. My wife says she will never get a BEV. And then I tease her when I have to make a special trip to refuel her SUV. Because that never happens if you can refuel at home.

And you are right about maintenance. In 50,000 miles, I have replaced the cabin air filter, windshield wipers and tires. I think I need to do a brake fluid flush soon.

Oh, and I just replaced the 12V battery. Believe it or not, every BEV has a 12V battery. (Well, except for the Cybertruck that has some sort of 48V battery I think.) People new to BEVs are surprised that such a standard feature on an ICE vehicle is needed in a battery powered car. It is. And if it dies on you, you are in trouble. I think there are some Air 12V failure threads in this forum. For my car, a 12V failure means you cannot open the passenger doors. And the 12V battery must be replaced every three years in my car (probably the Air also).

For your use case, IMO the Gravity is perfect. If the price is right, I would go for the 22"/23" wheels. That will give you the best performance and it will be your Porsche equivalent. And the grandkid hauler. And the bike hauler. And even the 2x4 hauler, if you want to do that. Those wheels don't give you the best range, but you said you will rarely travel out of town, so go for performance instead of range.

Get one soon and tell us all how much you like it!

(Don't forget to install a EVSE in your garage so you can refuel at home.)

I'm not a sedan fan. Although, I will say that Fathom Blue of the Air, is fire! Wish Gravity was offered in that color.
Even if I didn't have the cycling/hiking/grandkids need, I'd still forego a sedan. The low trunk in another area of the car seperate from the driver/passenger area just doesn't appeal to me. However, again, as nice as the Air looks, I could probably easily be convinced. I have configured an Air several times.

So, with the interior space of the Gravity and the foldable seats, you're still getting a tow hitch for a bike rack? Why not put down a tarp and roll your bike(s) inside?

You're a good hubby. You think if she did the refueling, maybe you'd end up with 2 EVs? And yet, maybe refueling is your role and she has hers. I understand that for sure!

The 12v battery replacement; I'm good with that. Air owner's manual says 4yrs./48k miles. Battery in my ICE car lasts about 5 years.

I need to get the 21"/22" wheels for the all-season tires.

Get one soon? Nice try. I'm waiting on the Touring version. Don't need the range or power of the GT, plus I want to give Lucid time to handle any early issues as much as possible.
I want one for my birthday (August), but I'm ok with it being somewhat late. However, if it's not available until August 2026, I'm ordering a GT. I don't have August 2026 type patience.

I'm buying the LHCS for at home charging.

 

[hmp10]

Given fixed resources, it is definitionally a direct trade-off. You can either fix bugs, or you can build features. One person cannot do both simultaneously.

Yes, I understand that fixed resources do make it more a trade or zero-sum game. But resources are seldom fixed for long if software performance is taken seriously, and I think leadership decisions and talent have a lot to do with it. Regarding talent, I think back to Bill Gates' famous question about how much is a great programmer worth compared to a good programmer. I also used the VW example to point out that a company with plenty of resources can produce really crap software, even when the car's UX has relatively few features. I'm thinking here of my friend's ID.4, which has fewer software features than our Tesla or our Air but has been plagued with issues. It was over two years into his lease before the first software update became available, and then only after having several notices to bring the car in rescinded because the fixes still weren't available. Finally, when the Great Update arrived, the car was at the VW dealer's service shop for three days for just this bit of work.

As for leadership, I think back to the decisions Elon Musk has forced on his software team that have resulted in things such as an automatic gear selector that often gets the direction wrong (and this from a company that claims to be on the threshold of robot taxis). Or a fart mode in a car that didn't yet have simulated birds-eye-view parking images.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

I'm not a sedan fan. Although, I will say that Fathom Blue of the Air, is fire! Wish Gravity was offered in that color.
Even if I didn't have the cycling/hiking/grandkids need, I'd still forego a sedan. The low trunk in another area of the car seperate from the driver/passenger area just doesn't appeal to me. However, again, as nice as the Air looks, I could probably easily be convinced. I have configured an Air several times.

So, with the interior space of the Gravity and the foldable seats, you're still getting a tow hitch for a bike rack? Why not put down a tarp and roll your bike(s) inside?

You're a good hubby. You think if she did the refueling, maybe you'd end up with 2 EVs? And yet, maybe refueling is your role and she has hers. I understand that for sure!

The 12v battery replacement; I'm good with that. Air owner's manual says 4yrs./48k miles. Battery in my ICE car lasts about 5 years.

I need to get the 21"/22" wheels for the all-season tires.

Get one soon? Nice try. I'm waiting on the Touring version. Don't need the range or power of the GT, plus I want to give Lucid time to handle any early issues as much as possible.
I want one for my birthday (August), but I'm ok with it being somewhat late. However, if it's not available until August 2026, I'm ordering a GT. I don't have August 2026 type patience.

I'm buying the LHCS for at home charging.

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!