Here is a composite pic I made up to (roughly) the same scale to visualize the R1S and Gravity comparison. Note the height and profile differences.
Lucid CEO critiques other EV-SUVs
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I think any extended time where the Gravity is available only at price points over $100k will sink the company. This was the issue with the Air, and why volume is so low, and why prices had to be cut to get any traction (which was still very small numbers). It can be damn good but the market is so limited at those prices that it won’t help much at all. Lucid needs mass market acceptance and that won’t happen until prices are way lower.
I do a lot of off-road/overlanding trips, and have never seen another vehicle on one of these trips with 6 or 7 adults. I don't think that's a common use scenario.
This is not the first time you’ve made this point, when we have no way of knowing whether it’ll prove true. None of us has sat in Gravity yet.
The Air is several inches shorter than most sedans, yet I’m 6’2” and have no issues with head room.
Don’t underestimate Lucid when it comes to packaging.
Batteryman
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Sits low for reduced drag, but like saying I don’t want a Ford GT40 because it sits lower than a Mustang.
Lucid doesn’t compete in the same market as Rivian- Rivian is more rugged, off-roady, Lucid is more bout efficiency, driving dynamics . 95% if those of buy an energy guzzling SUV don’t ever go off-road. Actually, minivans are more practical than a SUV.
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No question that on the outside the Rivian is a much larger SUV. As you point out the R1S is 12.1" taller, 0.6" wider and 2.6" longer but the Gravity has more interior volume due to where Lucid and Rivian chose to focus their design effort.
Rivian focused its effort in two areas; software and interior/exterior design. Mostly on the interior since the R1 is rather box like on the outside. Rivian interior design and ergonomics are top notch and match their intended use. I have been very impressed during my test drives. Likewise the Rivian software is excellent and again matches the intended use of the R1S. The many R1 owners here that praise Rivian software are spot on. Rivian did not focus on battery, inverter, drivetrain, chasis, body control, stability control but chose to buy off the shelf from teir one suppliers. This had the advantage of reducing engineering and shortening development time for Rivian but it comes at the cost of how all the pecies fit together. Without controlling the design, the pieces don't fit together compactly and the result is less interal space and a larger outside dimension.
Lucid choose to focus on battery, drivetrain, suspension, vehicle dynamics and interior design, largely ignoring software. Like Rivian, Lucid nailed it for interior design, materials and ergonomics. Lucid also took advantage of owning the drivetrain, battery, inverter and chasis design to optimize efficiency and also to optimze how the pieces fit together to minimize space. This is how Lucid pulls off the magic of more interior space in a smaller exterior dimesnion. It is also why Lucid is leading in EV efficiency. No need to comment here on the disadvantage of Lucid's software approach though.
All fair points. From the beginning (Air days), Lucid's main value proposition is the miniaturization of their power train, resulting in more cabin space, higher efficiency, and power. I am not trying to diss the Gravity per se. Rather, I was reacting to some of Rawlinson's comments regarding Gravity's capacity. As for efficiency, if you go by the manufacturer's claims, the Lucid Air is 2.3X more efficient than the R1S. For my driving, typically 75mph on I-10/I-5, the Lucid Air is about 72% of its efficiency claim while the R1S is about 120% of its claim. The Air is still more efficient, but nowhere close to 2.3X!
As a starting point, as SUV goes, the R1S is already a SMALL SUV. As you pointed out, Gravity is smaller than the R1S. I was amused that Lucid claims they can fit so many 6ft plus people in the Gravity. Perhaps they could. They never said "comfortably" or "on long trips". We will find out in the next 6 months how realistic that really is.
I've been putting a lot of thought into this challenge as I have volunteered to transport 6 or 7 people from the Bay Area to Dana Point for a wedding this October. We want to take the scenic route (HWY 1). I decided to make it a 2-day trip, with no longer than 2hr non-stop legs, and an overnight stopover in Paso Robles. Since I have the driver's seat, I will be fine.
Yup! I agree Lucid has an advantage in miniaturizing the power trains and more cabin space.
Let's round up seven 6ft plus guys for a road trip in the Gravity in 6 months!
I'd be up for that. I'm sure we could get Lucid's PR folks interested, too.
Great! But Joe, you are ONLY 6ft 2". Rawlinson was talking about six guys, all over 6ft 4in fitting into the Gravity. You and I don't qualify!
xponents
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I could definitely see that being an addition to the "road to Gravity" series, actually!
xponents
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"Only" being relative!Great! But Joe, you are ONLY 6ft 2". Rawlinson was talking about six guys, all over 6ft 4in fitting into the Gravity. You and I don't qualify!
True. They have enough execs over my height to do the job themselves. Then again, they lost Mike Bell, so they are down one tall guy…Great! But Joe, you are ONLY 6ft 2". Rawlinson was talking about six guys, all over 6ft 4in fitting into the Gravity. You and I don't qualify!
Sounds like we need to get road trip hats of strategic heights.Great! But Joe, you are ONLY 6ft 2". Rawlinson was talking about six guys, all over 6ft 4in fitting into the Gravity. You and I don't qualify!
xponents
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Maybe we can find Lincoln's collection of hats!
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Just wear hats. I would love to see this.Great! But Joe, you are ONLY 6ft 2". Rawlinson was talking about six guys, all over 6ft 4in fitting into the Gravity. You and I don't qualify!
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Actually @LucidDropkick and I have. We’re both 5’9”ish but there was a stupid amount of room.
xponents
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If you could estimate, how much inches were left between your knees and the second row seat back?
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It is impossible to estimate because it was quick and one of the seats was moved forward the whole time.
But I can tell you it was the roomiest third row I’ve ever been in. I could live in it for a cross country road trip just fine. I’d *prefer* one of the forward seats, but it’d be fine.
If I were 6’2” I’d be fine for a few hours but would want some more room for much more than that.
But the fact that I’d be fine for a few hours at over 6’ in a third row is kinda bananas.
In off roading, based off what I've experienced, there is definitely more space in a Gravity than a R1S for any number of passengers.
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