Every time I sneak a look at my Lucid stock portfolio, I end up asking myself, "was I satisfied with the EV offerings before Lucid arrived on the scene." The answer is a resounding "no".
I loved my first Tesla -- a 2015 P90D that made me an EV addict. But instead of maturing that design into a state-of-the-art car, Tesla took a path toward focusing more on manufacturing costs than on quality and driving dynamics, using hype as a substitute for real engineering, and thereby producing products such as our Model S Plaid -- a car that's all about acceleration numbers and gimmicks such a yokes that appeal to pubescent teens but comes up short in handling, braking, space engineering, and broad-spectrum driving exhilaration.
Then I look at the German brands. There I see a blotchy fabric of abysmal space packaging (few have frunks), enormous hoods on some, video arcade interiors, subpar range, and handling dynamics that vary from top-notch (Taycan) to boat-like (EQS).
No one, and I mean no one, approaches Lucid in its balance of range, power, handling, ride, and roominess.
We can all fret and wring our hands about Lucid's future. But whether they make it or not, the automotive scene will always be better for their having been there, as it revealed to people why EVs really can keep driving excitement and fine motoring alive and served notice on other brands that they still have a lot of fundamental work to do.
