Hold out for the Gravity, or get something else?

[DeaneG]

...We went into our EV9 purchase thinking we'd keep it. After experiencing the range (not even that bad at 330 real world..

I'd expect the Gravity's freeway range to be about 330 miles if it is rated at 440 EPA - if the range hit with speed is similar to that of my Air GT.
Kyle Connor managed 320 miles at a steady 70mph in the Macan EV, maybe not that far off the Gravity? We'll know in about eight months when all the direct comparison freeway range tests are in.

 

[hydbob]

I'd expect the Gravity's freeway range to be about 330 miles if it is rated at 440 EPA - if the range hit with speed is similar to that of my Air GT.
Kyle Connor managed 320 miles at a steady 70mph in the Macan EV, maybe not that far off the Gravity? We'll know in about eight months when all the direct comparison freeway range tests are in.

If the Gravity can achieve the same while being a bigger 7 seater that would be great IMO.

 

[xponents]

If the Gravity can achieve the same while being a bigger 7 seater that would be great IMO.

Although it's battery size would also be bigger, don't forget.

 

[LucidHead]

I just saw the Gravity at the Tysons Corner studio and it is stunning. Doesn’t look much longer than the Air. Before I leased my AGT, I was hooked on Audis, culminating with my beloved SQ8. I had been thinking about awaiting the release of the Q6 etron until I tried my Lucid. I have had none of the various glitches thus far that are outlined in this forum, and I love everything about the Air except that its a sedan — a trade off that has been more than worth it. But my next vehicle will be the Gravity without a doubt. So Lucid’s marketing strategy and 18 month lease worked its magic on me.

 

[msaunders9430]

Waiting three plus years was definitely what happened to a lot of the early reservation holders. My reservation was put in March 2020, I waited two and a half and I got my GT in October ‘22. If people were waiting for Touring or Pure the wait was much longer.

Thank you for the response. I've read the press releases going back to 2018 in order to get an idea of the journey to the Air. With factory construction no longer a factor, as it was 2018 - 2020, I'm hoping the wait for the Gravity will be shorter.

Your GT came after all of the DE orders and the GT orders in front of yours? If Lucid will release of of the trims simultaneously, the should keep orders moving. I read there were 25,000 orders for the Air. If those were all orders from serious buyers, I doubt the concern over financial stability would exist.

I'm thinking you had several thousand orders in front of yours that were from curious buyers?

 

[Steveinarizona]

Waiting three plus years was definitely what happened to a lot of the early reservation holders. My reservation was put in March 2020, I waited two and a half and I got my GT in October ‘22. If people were waiting for Touring or Pure the wait was much longer.

I was an early RWD Pure reservation holder and I gave up and got the GV60P in December of 2022. What got me was not only the waiting but they didn't even release the specs. Lucid announced in the summer of 2022 that it was releasing the specs on the Pure in the fall. I waited expectantly and when Lucid released the specs in November, it was only for the AWD Pure. In the meantime the GV60P became available in my market (only one of eight states where it was initially being sold). The Genesis ticked as many boxes for me as the Lucid, just different ones. So I gave up and got the Genesis.

A golf buddy of mine just got a Lucid RWD Pure so I can see what I missed. I really like the looks of the Lucid (I didn't like the silver streak that ran above the windows on the higher models and I didn't want the roof window because of the Arizona heat so the Pure was my target). To paraphrase the Shadow: who knows what Lucid may lurk in my future. Keep the luxury and power but shrink it in size and I would even eat the immediate depreciation.

 

[AirDoll]

I was an early RWD Pure reservation holder and I gave up and got the GV60P in December of 2022. What got me was not only the waiting but they didn't even release the specs. Lucid announced in the summer of 2022 that it was releasing the specs on the Pure in the fall. I waited expectantly and when Lucid released the specs in November, it was only for the AWD Pure. In the meantime the GV60P became available in my market (only one of eight states where it was initially being sold). The Genesis ticked as many boxes for me as the Lucid, just different ones. So I gave up and got the Genesis.

A golf buddy of mine just got a Lucid RWD Pure so I can see what I missed. I really like the looks of the Lucid (I didn't like the silver streak that ran above the windows on the higher models and I didn't want the roof window because of the Arizona heat so the Pure was my target). To paraphrase the Shadow: who knows what Lucid may lurk in my future. Keep the luxury and power but shrink it in size and I would even eat the immediate depreciation.

I think that’s why you’re still hanging out with us here….you’re still a future Lucid owner

 

[hmp10]

Please tell me how you waited three years.

This forum (and my sometimes obsessive posting on it) helped keep me distracted. It's doing it again as I wait impatiently for final Gravity specs to be released and orders to open up.

 

[Taz K]

My wife drives a 2017 F-Pace S. After driving our Air Pure AWD and seeing the Gravity at our local Lucid Studio a little while ago, she wants to reserve the Gravity as soon as it becomes possible. We both test-drove the R1S and nearly put in an order, but she is willing to wait it out. Good things come to those who wait, right?

 

[AirDoll]

Thank you for the response. I've read the press releases going back to 2018 in order to get an idea of the journey to the Air. With factory construction no longer a factor, as it was 2018 - 2020, I'm hoping the wait for the Gravity will be shorter.

Your GT came after all of the DE orders and the GT orders in front of yours? If Lucid will release of of the trims simultaneously, the should keep orders moving. I read there were 25,000 orders for the Air. If those were all orders from serious buyers, I doubt the concern over financial stability would exist.

I'm thinking you had several thousand orders in front of yours that were from curious buyers?

There were a few thousand reservations ahead of me maybe, but reservations just meant you could order when it was your turn. Confirmed orders put you in the actual line waiting for your car. At that time it was about six months from confirmation to receiving it. The Gravity will be completely different and much quicker and smoother. Once orders open, the wait will be fairly short measured in weeks not months. And yes, the wait between trim releases will be much shorter as well.

 

[msaunders9430]

There were a few thousand reservations ahead of me maybe, but reservations just meant you could order when it was your turn. Confirmed orders put you in the actual line waiting for your car. At that time it was about six months from confirmation to receiving it. The Gravity will be completely different and much quicker and smoother. Once orders open, the wait will be fairly short measured in weeks not months. And yes, the wait between trim releases will be much shorter as well.

Got it.
Another question, if you don't mind, since you're one of the originals.

What was the purpose of the phased release of the trim levels (DE, followed by GT, etc.) instead of a general release of all trims at once?
I'm thinking, from the perspective of a newly operating factory, the focus on one trim at a time was easier on the workers and production overall, perhaps?

I just think of someone like you who wanted a GT from the beginning.
I wonder, with 25,000 reservations, how many people ahead of you had to be contacted to see if they wanted a DE versus another trim.
Did you have to specify your trim request in your reservation?
Perhaps all reservations for a DE were contacted first?

Looking back at the Lucid press releases for 2022, if the produced 7,180 units, but sold only 4,369, why did it take until Oct. 2022 for your order to be filled?
Seems like they would have had GTs ready and waiting for those with reservations.

 

[msaunders9430]

I was an early RWD Pure reservation holder and I gave up and got the GV60P in December of 2022. What got me was not only the waiting but they didn't even release the specs. Lucid announced in the summer of 2022 that it was releasing the specs on the Pure in the fall. I waited expectantly and when Lucid released the specs in November, it was only for the AWD Pure. In the meantime the GV60P became available in my market (only one of eight states where it was initially being sold). The Genesis ticked as many boxes for me as the Lucid, just different ones. So I gave up and got the Genesis.

A golf buddy of mine just got a Lucid RWD Pure so I can see what I missed. I really like the looks of the Lucid (I didn't like the silver streak that ran above the windows on the higher models and I didn't want the roof window because of the Arizona heat so the Pure was my target). To paraphrase the Shadow: who knows what Lucid may lurk in my future. Keep the luxury and power but shrink it in size and I would even eat the immediate depreciation.

Your experience sounds like a perfect case against a phased release, by trim, of the Air in 2021 and 2022.
If Lucid had released all of the trims in late 2021 or early 2022, you would have bought a Pure.
I'm thinking the factory couldn't handle the volume, but with 7,180 units produced in 2022 and only 4,369 sold (according to Lucid press release), it seems like the factory produced a lot of units of a trim that had not be reserved/requested by customers.

 

[AirDoll]

Got it.
Another question, if you don't mind, since you're one of the originals.

What was the purpose of the phased release of the trim levels (DE, followed by GT, etc.) instead of a general release of all trims at once?
I'm thinking, from the perspective of a newly operating factory, the focus on one trim at a time was easier on the workers and production overall, perhaps?

I just think of someone like you who wanted a GT from the beginning.
I wonder, with 25,000 reservations, how many people ahead of you had to be contacted to see if they wanted a DE versus another trim.
Did you have to specify your trim request in your reservation?
Perhaps all reservations for a DE were contacted first?

Looking back at the Lucid press releases for 2022, if the produced 7,180 units, but sold only 4,369, why did it take until Oct. 2022 for your order to be filled?
Seems like they would have had GTs ready and waiting for those with reservations.

They didn’t have inventory in early ‘22 and production wasn’t as fast as it is now. Yes you had to select your trim level, but to be honest when I first reserved we didn’t know about anything other than DE and not DE. Once the other trim levels and approximate availability dates were announced, then you selected which one with your sales advisor. They were brand new, building a brand, and preparing for more production. Starting with the top level and working their way down is a strategy for them to establish themselves as a luxury brand. I technically was originally down for the touring. The GT coming out sooner and having more of the options I wanted, prompted me to go with that. It’s a good selling strategy to sell upper trim levels.

 

[msaunders9430]

They didn’t have inventory in early ‘22 and production wasn’t as fast as it is now. Yes you had to select your trim level, but to be honest when I first reserved we didn’t know about anything other than DE and not DE. Once the other trim levels and approximate availability dates were announced, then you selected which one with your sales advisor. They were brand new, building a brand, and preparing for more production. Starting with the top level and working their way down is a strategy for them to establish themselves as a luxury brand. I technically was originally down for the touring. The GT coming out sooner and having more of the options I wanted, prompted me to go with that. It’s a good selling strategy to sell upper trim levels.

OK.
I suppose the surplus of units at the end of 2022 (7,180 produced minus 4,369 sold) is the result of potential buyers who didn't want to upgrade to a DE or GT.
The fact that none of the Air sedans qualified for the ev tax credit didn't help.

With the Gravity having a trim priced below the $80k threshold for an suv ev tax credit, maybe that will convince Lucid to have that trim available in a reasonable time.
We'll see.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Neurio]

The fact that none of the Air sedans qualified for the ev tax credit didn't help.

Actually, most of the 2022 sales did qualify for the tax credit. I think the new rules went into effect in August (?), so everyone who got a car beforehand (myself included), and some after too, got the tax credit for 2022.

 

[Bus Driver]

Actually, most of the 2022 sales did qualify for the tax credit. I think the new rules went into effect in August (?), so everyone who got a car beforehand (myself included), and some after too, got the tax credit for 2022.

I’ll have to look again at my tax return for 2022. I don’t remember applying for an EV tax credit because I just assumed I didn’t qualify.

 

[WildRide47]

Actually, most of the 2022 sales did qualify for the tax credit. I think the new rules went into effect in August (?), so everyone who got a car beforehand (myself included), and some after too, got the tax credit for 2022.

That is not accurate.

I received my AGT in April and we received my wife's BMW i4M50 in late December. I was able to get a $15,000 tax credit($7,500 for each car) because the BMW had a 14 month wait after it was ordered. As long as I had the documentation that the car was ordered and a deposit was received before the August date and further that I had to take possession of the BMW car before Jan. 1st of 2023, the credit was accepted for both cars.

I had to provide the VIN of both cars to my accountant when filing my taxes and all was good and accepted by the IRS.

 

[Neurio]

That is not accurate.

I received my AGT in April and we received my wife's BMW i4M50 in late December. I was able to get a $15,000 tax credit($7,500 for each car) because the BMW had a 14 month wait after it was ordered. As long as I had the documentation that the car was ordered and a deposit was received before the August date and further that I had to take possession of the BMW car before Jan. 1st of 2023, the credit was accepted for both cars.

I had to provide the VIN of both cars to my accountant when filing my taxes and all was good and accepted by the IRS.

Pretty sure that's what I said, just without all the details you provided...

 

[CraZ8]

I’m waiting to see a Gravity in person. I unfortunately missed the prototype when it was in NY. Yes visually it presents much bigger than the Air due to its height but it’s physically only 3 inches longer than the Air. I don’t need 7 person seating but do need hauling capacity. From everything I’ve heard from company sources the Gravity is still slated for production by the end of this year. Yes I know take a big grain of salt with that. Since I’ll be coming up on three years with my GT by then I may jump to that for the family SUV, sell the Air, my wife’s Range Rover Velar and get something sporty. Really on the fence with this.

 

[xponents]

I’m waiting to see a Gravity in person. I unfortunately missed the prototype when it was in NY. Yes visually it presents much bigger than the Air due to its height but it’s physically only 3 inches longer than the Air. I don’t need 7 person seating but do need hauling capacity. From everything I’ve heard from company sources the Gravity is still slated for production by the end of this year. Yes I know take a big grain of salt with that. Since I’ll be coming up on three years with my GT by then I may jump to that for the family SUV, sell the Air, my wife’s Range Rover Velar and get something sporty. Really on the fence with this.

A question... how much do you plan to haul?