Long range Air Pure

[Andretex]

Quick question to the Lucid Owners who are in the “inside”.

Lucid Air Pure comes with an 88kwh battery for the single motor version. Given its lighter weight, this version gets approx. 419 miles with 19 inch wheels. Why doesn’t Lucid come out with an Extended range Air Pure and put in the 112kwh battery of the Dream Edition to get 500+ miles on the cheapest model?

 

[Adnillien]

Why doesn’t Lucid come out with an Extended range Air Pure and put in the 112kwh battery of the Dream Edition to get 500+ miles on the cheapest model?

It would no longer be the cheapest mode due to the battery cost.

 

[Andretex]

It would no longer be the cheapest mode due to the battery cost.

other models have two motors (or three for the sapphire). Multiple motors are best for speed. But the Air Pure is meant for slower driving and efficiency. Just asking if there is a technical reason for this.

 

[Adnillien]

other models have two motors (or three for the sapphire). Multiple motors are best for speed. But the Air Pure is meant for slower driving and efficiency. Just asking if there is a technical reason for this.

I doubt that there is a technical reason that this could not be done. It is more of a marketing reason and how the models compare and take sales from one another.

 

[ColonelBadger]

It would probably need a different floor to host the battery. The Pure and Touring have a flatter floor.

 

[hmp10]

It would probably need a different floor to host the battery. The Pure and Touring have a flatter floor.

The Air floorpan can take both 18 battery modules (Pure and Touring) and 22 modules (upper trim levels). The smaller battery pack drops the rear floor height by 3.15" by eliminating four modules in that location. However, both battery packs have an essentially flat floor from side to side. (Here'e the rear cabin of our Dream Performance with the 118-kWh pack -- the same 22 modules but with Samsung batteries instead of the LG Chem batteries in the Grand Touring.)

And here's the platform with the four rear seat modules removed:

 

[Steveinarizona]

other models have two motors (or three for the sapphire). Multiple motors are best for speed. But the Air Pure is meant for slower driving and efficiency. Just asking if there is a technical reason for this.

Not sure I agree with this statement. A car with HP comfortably in the 400s is not one built for slow driving or efficiency (although the word "slower" does apply compared to the other models). My buddy who just got a RWD Pure still marvels at the acceleration. My guess is that a lot of thought goes into features and pricing at the Lucid corporate level. I have never owned a car where one could not quibble with how the manufacturer has chosen to assemble the feature packages. One could disagree with some of those decisions but they have a lot more data than we do.

The big sign in the Scottsdale Fashion Square design studio still only lists the AWD Pure, not the RWD one, although once a customer enters the design studio, the staff is more than willing to try to help them find a RWD model.

 

[Andretex]

Agreed. Let me restate my initial question.

Since the GT is the model with the longest range, wouldn't Lucid get more range on a larger battery on a RWD Pure? My non technical mind thinks that having one motor and less HP should deliver longer range if the battery is the same size as the GT.

Lucid did not do this for a reason, does anyone know why?

 

[joec]

Agreed. Let me restate my initial question.

Since the GT is the model with the longest range, wouldn't Lucid get more range on a larger battery on a RWD Pure? My non technical mind thinks that having one motor and less HP should deliver longer range if the battery is the same size as the GT.

Lucid did not do this for a reason, does anyone know why?

I’m sure they considered it. But it probably doesn’t make financial sense.

Another way to describe the car you want is a single-motor GT. The price would be closer to that, in any case, given the battery pack is by far the most expensive item in the car.

Lucid offered two flavors of Dream Edition. One with more power. One with more range.

The one with more power outsold the one with more range by a massive margin. Think 5 to 1 or more.

The people spoke. Given the choice, they choose more power over more range. Especially given the range is “good enough” for most, even in the Pure.

There are already way too many variants of the Air. Adding another one that is basically a GT with less bling and far less power for what would likely be a higher price than a Touring would lead to few sales and further confusion at time of purchase.

 

[joec]

From a marketing perspective, there’s also value in associating the name “Pure” with that $70k price point. So a “Long Range Pure” that sits at over $100k would eliminate the benefit of that association.

If anything, RWD GT would make more sense. But then you lose the GT’s association with being the “fast” one.

Lose lose.