Hot Topic!

[Bcovill]

I took delivery on a GT (zenith red, tahoe interior, 21-inch wheels) a couple days ago and have been surprised that a luxury vehicle made in AZ has some serious heat issues. I live in Phoenix, where it’s been 114 degrees the past few days (and it’s only June!). The AC has been struggling a bit to keep up (make sure you close the car’s outside vent), and the load is understandably having a negative effect on the rate of discharge. The radiant heat coming through the glass roof (which is quite warm to the touch from inside) exacerbates the problem. The biggest surprise was that having the car charging all last night plugged into a 110 outlet in my non-AC garage actually resulted in a net LOSS of about 5% of the charge! My great delivery guy explained to me this morning that the car has a separate fan designed to keep the battery temperature from getting too high during charging. Apparently the fan ran all night, made the garage even hotter, and thus the car used more electricity keeping the batteries cool than it was getting from the 110 charge. Granted this is the first time that delivered Lucid production vehicles are being used for real in this extreme heat, but no one mentioned that I might have to air condition my garage. My car right now is charging in my driveway plugged into a 220 outlet that I had installed for my RV. I’ll see how that works (it can reach 100 at night outside). But I am surprised to encounter these heat issues in cars made now in AZ and soon to be made in even hotter Saudia Arabia. I wonder if the Saudi investors have encountered similar problems in their test cars. All this said, I still love the car and do not regret for a second making the purchase!

 

[MPawelek]

This has been discussed previously and yes, using 110v in the heat, will result in the battery cooling fans coming on. Hopefully Lucid is working on this but in the mean time using 220v to charge is wiser. Oddly enough some have said the AC is lacking in extreme heat and some say it works just fine.

 

[hydbob]

Which version of software are you on? 1.2.6 makes the fans better. Also if your garage is 100 degrees, the fans will pretty much run all night regardless if your car is plugged in or not. The batteries want to be at around 70 degrees from what I remember reading previously.

 

[Maverick]

I took delivery on a GT (zenith red, tahoe interior, 21-inch wheels) a couple days ago and have been surprised that a luxury vehicle made in AZ has some serious heat issues. I live in Phoenix, where it’s been 114 degrees the past few days (and it’s only June!). The AC has been struggling a bit to keep up (make sure you close the car’s outside vent), and the load is understandably having a negative effect on the rate of discharge. The radiant heat coming through the glass roof (which is quite warm to the touch from inside) exacerbates the problem. The biggest surprise was that having the car charging all last night plugged into a 110 outlet in my non-AC garage actually resulted in a net LOSS of about 5% of the charge! My great delivery guy explained to me this morning that the car has a separate fan designed to keep the battery temperature from getting too high during charging. Apparently the fan ran all night, made the garage even hotter, and thus the car used more electricity keeping the batteries cool than it was getting from the 110 charge. Granted this is the first time that delivered Lucid production vehicles are being used for real in this extreme heat, but no one mentioned that I might have to air condition my garage. My car right now is charging in my driveway plugged into a 220 outlet that I had installed for my RV. I’ll see how that works (it can reach 100 at night outside). But I am surprised to encounter these heat issues in cars made now in AZ and soon to be made in even hotter Saudia Arabia. I wonder if the Saudi investors have encountered similar problems in their test cars. All this said, I still love the car and do not regret for a second making the purchase!

I'm also in AZ and have had the car since the beginning of April. The first thing you'll want to make sure is that the vents are open. You turn the knobs on the vents. Seems obvious and I'm sure you've done it, but when I drove the car home the first time, mine were closed and I didn't realize it. I thought the knobs were just to move the vents. Assuming that is not the issue, and you're on 1.2.6, you should definitely get that checked out. I found the car to be quite comfortable even before 1.2.6, and with the upgrade, it just means I'm not running the fan speed at 8 or higher in the extreme heat. When you first get in the car, I've found that it can't cool down to a comfortable level unless you're moving, so that would definitely be a problem. But as with an ICE car, once you're moving, it seems to keep up very well. And when you stop after the cabin is at the temperature you're looking for, it is able to maintain that temp while sitting.

I will say that I had my side and rear windows tinted with 20s. That has definitely helped too as I had some warmth from heat coming in the driver's side windows, but the standard tinting overhead has been more than acceptable. So if you're finding an issue, I'd definitely has the Scottsdale SC take a look.

PS - I have the same configuration...where in the PHX area do you live?

 

[EVCar]

My great delivery guy explained to me this morning that the car has a separate fan designed to keep the battery temperature from getting too high during charging. Apparently the fan ran all night, made the garage even hotter, and thus the car used more electricity keeping the batteries cool than it was getting from the 110 charge. Granted this is the first time that delivered Lucid production vehicles are being used for real in this extreme heat, but no one mentioned that I might have to air condition my garage. My car right now is charging in my driveway plugged into a 220 outlet that I had installed for my RV. I’ll see how that works (it can reach 100 at night outside). But I am surprised to encounter these heat issues in cars made now in AZ and soon to be made in even hotter Saudia Arabia. I wonder if the Saudi investors have encountered similar problems in their test cars. All this said, I still love the car and do not regret for a second making the purchase!

Another fellow Arizonan here. Still on the waiting list so can't comment on the car's AC.
Regarding the battery's fan --and pleading my ignorance -- but I don't see how it can bring the battery temp down to 70 degrees when the ambient is 100 or more.
It can run all night but won't change much.

 

[Bcovill]

Which version of software are you on? 1.2.6 makes the fans better. Also if your garage is 100 degrees, the fans will pretty much run all night regardless if your car is plugged in or not. The batteries want to be at around 70 degrees from what I remember reading previously.

The delivery folks did a software update right before I picked up thr car, so I should be on the latest version.

 

[Bcovill]

Another fellow Arizonan here. Still on the waiting list so can't comment on the car's AC.
Regarding the battery's fan --and pleading my ignorance -- but I don't see how it can bring the battery temp down to 70 degrees when the ambient is 100 or more.
It can run all night but won't change much.

I just checked on the 220-volt charge going on In my driveway. It’s 89 degrees outside at 7:40 pm and the charge seems to be going well, and the battery fan is running.

 

[EVCar]

I just checked on the 220-volt charge going on In my driveway. It’s 89 degrees outside at 7:40 pm and the charge seems to be going well, and the battery fan is running.

@hydbob said battery likes to be at 70 degrees, so I'm sure the fan is turned on, but all it does is to blow the 89 degree air to the battery. Perhaps this will keep the temp from rising because of the charging process.
Would be helpful to learn the range of temps for this battery's operation.

 

[hydbob]

@hydbob said battery likes to be at 70 degrees, so I'm sure the fan is turned on, but all it does is to blow the 89 degree air to the battery. Perhaps this will keep the temp from rising because of the charging process.
Would be helpful to learn the range of temps for this battery's operation.

Well, it probably also circulates the coolant as well.

 

[EVCar]

Well, it probably also circulates the coolant as well.

The coolant definitely would help.

 

[DJL]

Another fellow Arizonan here. Still on the waiting list so can't comment on the car's AC.
Regarding the battery's fan --and pleading my ignorance -- but I don't see how it can bring the battery temp down to 70 degrees when the ambient is 100 or more.
It can run all night but won't change much.

I would think that the fans are radiator fans since the batteries are actually cooled by an anti-freeze solution. A pump would move the anti-freeze solution to the radiators (I believe there are two of them) and help with the heat transfer. I don't know if the heat transfer effeciency is great enough to lower 100 degrees to 70 degrees by it sure would help.

 

[Bcovill]

I'm also in AZ and have had the car since the beginning of April. The first thing you'll want to make sure is that the vents are open. You turn the knobs on the vents. Seems obvious and I'm sure you've done it, but when I drove the car home the first time, mine were closed and I didn't realize it. I thought the knobs were just to move the vents. Assuming that is not the issue, and you're on 1.2.6, you should definitely get that checked out. I found the car to be quite comfortable even before 1.2.6, and with the upgrade, it just means I'm not running the fan speed at 8 or higher in the extreme heat. When you first get in the car, I've found that it can't cool down to a comfortable level unless you're moving, so that would definitely be a problem. But as with an ICE car, once you're moving, it seems to keep up very well. And when you stop after the cabin is at the temperature you're looking for, it is able to maintain that temp while sitting.

I will say that I had my side and rear windows tinted with 20s. That has definitely helped too as I had some warmth from heat coming in the driver's side windows, but the standard tinting overhead has been more than acceptable. So if you're finding an issue, I'd definitely has the Scottsdale SC take a look.

PS - I have the same configuration...where in the PHX area do you live?

40th and Palo Verde Dr. Going down 44th near Camelback about 12:45 we saw a Lucid turning left into the AJ’s shopping center. Was that yours?

 

[EVCar]

Thanks for the explanation, @hydbob and @DJL.
I totally forgot about the time-tested radiator setup.

 

[Bcovill]

Yes, all of our interior vents are open. But you want to make sure that the car’s outside vents are closed, so you’re nit cooling and circulating 114-degree outside air.

 

[Maverick]

40th and Palo Verde Dr. Going down 44th near Camelback about 12:45 we saw a Lucid turning left into the AJ’s shopping center. Was that yours?

Cool...you're a little closer to @Adnillien I think. I'm up in the NE stretches of Scottsdale. About halfway between Pima and Rio Verde. Welcome!

 

[DeaneG]

... My car right now is charging in my driveway plugged into a 220 outlet that I had installed for my RV....

You'll really want to have an electrician pull a 240V 50A, 60A, or 80A circuit to a dedicated charging station (Chargepoint Home Flex or Lucid) in your garage. It'll make the difference between your car being a pleasure or a burden.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Cool...you're a little closer to @Adnillien I think. I'm up in the NE stretches of Scottsdale. About halfway between Pima and Rio Verde. Welcome!

And I am between you both near Kierland. But I don't have my Pure yet.

 

[SubSailor]

I took delivery on a GT (zenith red, tahoe interior, 21-inch wheels) a couple days ago and have been surprised that a luxury vehicle made in AZ has some serious heat issues. I live in Phoenix, where it’s been 114 degrees the past few days (and it’s only June!). The AC has been struggling a bit to keep up (make sure you close the car’s outside vent), and the load is understandably having a negative effect on the rate of discharge. The radiant heat coming through the glass roof (which is quite warm to the touch from inside) exacerbates the problem. The biggest surprise was that having the car charging all last night plugged into a 110 outlet in my non-AC garage actually resulted in a net LOSS of about 5% of the charge! My great delivery guy explained to me this morning that the car has a separate fan designed to keep the battery temperature from getting too high during charging. Apparently the fan ran all night, made the garage even hotter, and thus the car used more electricity keeping the batteries cool than it was getting from the 110 charge. Granted this is the first time that delivered Lucid production vehicles are being used for real in this extreme heat, but no one mentioned that I might have to air condition my garage. My car right now is charging in my driveway plugged into a 220 outlet that I had installed for my RV. I’ll see how that works (it can reach 100 at night outside). But I am surprised to encounter these heat issues in cars made now in AZ and soon to be made in even hotter Saudia Arabia. I wonder if the Saudi investors have encountered similar problems in their test cars. All this said, I still love the car and do not regret for a second making the purchase!

Was anyone able to confirm what my SA told me about the Lucid converting to a heat pump for heating/cooling? I know Tesla converted a couple of years ago. I have not received my VIN but confirmed in June so expect a wait.

 

[Coltonw011]

I would doubt they have made that change so early in production after starting without it. It was one of the things I’d hoped for to help cold weather efficiency, but it’s not there. I’m sure it’s coming down the line, but the heat pump wasn’t present in my 2019 MS either, so within a couple years I bet Lucid makes the switch.

 

[DeaneG]

.... don't see how it can bring the battery temp down to 70 degrees when the ambient is 100 or more....

Not sure about the Air but all other EVs I know of (except the Leaf) can actively cool the battery using a circuit off the car's air conditioning system, or a separate chilling system, to refrigerate the battery coolant. This takes some power and makes charging from a 120V outlet impossible in very cold or very warm weather.