My Test Drive

[digiboxer]

Drove a GT for the first time Monday...I'd seen the Air twice before in showrooms, so there was some initial familiarity.

Interior. Unlike any other I can think of. Definitely not Plush like MB (which are wonderful for what they are), but Far more inviting and hospitable than Tesla. Maybe a little like Aston Martin? These things are very subjective, but for me it struck a great balance--like a really cool modernist office done by a great interior designer (with a big budget). For my brief hour, the driver seat was noticeably excellent ---and I didn't even adjust it, other than back and down. It just took me in, and supported me in a really comfortable way. I'm tall and sit low in all cars...so back on the track. I felt the streering wheel needed to come an inch or 2 closer to be a perfect fit for me..really sorry it doesnt.. There were times when the overhead sun was an issue...not for cooling, bec the outside temp was 70. But at stops I felt the heat and glare of the sun, and will likely opt for metal roof (the glass has visual advantages, but I will never be the passenger, so I don't see the upside..but I'm a guy who has never once in 40 years opened a sunroof.

Electronics. Im sure L orchestrates, but by the time we got to the car door it was wide awake, so no lag issues. The whole drive protocol was simple to understand. The relation between the dash screen and "iPad" is still not totally clear, but the operational menus seemed a lot like my Cayenne. The NAV was surprisingly primitive..2D and all black and white..really? Nav not a big deal to me--more like a video game--but pls..swallow hard and license from Google or Apple...it's 2022 and counting. The garage door thing has been covered here---gotta be one click not 2...and let's not even go to the glove box....

Drive. If this had been 1) my first EV experience, and 2) I'd never read this forum---my jaw would have dropped. I'm an incurable car guy who for 5 decades has--with eyes wide open--overpaid for cars I fully knew would be worth 15% less the next year (ring a bell anyone?). But I've driven Teslas and have read a lot of this board, so my mind wasnt blown---but the drive is really, really great. I've concluded there's combination very low weighting, very high power, wide and low stance, and absence of gear shift ,that makes this car (and in fairness maybe a few others) just a totally new driving dynamic

Conclusion. IMO Lucid now occupies a Very narrow niche--their appeal is, for now, mostly to enthusiasts like me. Tesla has slowly earned its way out of that niche, but they will soon face relentless competition. Right now Lucid owners, bec of quality deficiencies, require an amount of support the company can't sustain as more and more car are delivered. Something has to give. Just MO

So there are risks ahead---and I'd be paying $100k+ for driving characteristics I won't really enjoy in everyday driving... As much as I love the car, I won't buy until it's clear the software issues are really being solved, and the company is on strong financial footings.

I REALLY hope for both

 

[DJL]

Drove a GT for the first time Monday...I'd seen the Air twice before in showrooms, so there was some initial familiarity.

Interior. Unlike any other I can think of. Definitely not Plush like MB (which are wonderful for what they are), but Far more inviting and hospitable than Tesla. Maybe a little like Aston Martin? These things are very subjective, but for me it struck a great balance--like a really cool modernist office done by a great interior designer (with a big budget). For my brief hour, the driver seat was noticeably excellent ---and I didn't even adjust it, other than back and down. It just took me in, and supported me in a really comfortable way. I'm tall and sit low in all cars...so back on the track. I felt the streering wheel needed to come an inch or 2 closer to be a perfect fit for me..really sorry it doesnt.. There were times when the overhead sun was an issue...not for cooling, bec the outside temp was 70. But at stops I felt the heat and glare of the sun, and will likely opt for metal roof (the glass has visual advantages, but I will never be the passenger, so I don't see the upside..but I'm a guy who has never once in 40 years opened a sunroof.

Electronics. Im sure L orchestrates, but by the time we got to the car door it was wide awake, so no lag issues. The whole drive protocol was simple to understand. The relation between the dash screen and "iPad" is still not totally clear, but the operational menus seemed a lot like my Cayenne. The NAV was surprisingly primitive..2D and all black and white..really? Nav not a big deal to me--more like a video game--but pls..swallow hard and license from Google or Apple...it's 2022 and counting. The garage door thing has been covered here---gotta be one click not 2...and let's not even go to the glove box....

Drive. If this had been 1) my first EV experience, and 2) I'd never read this forum---my jaw would have dropped. I'm an incurable car guy who for 5 decades has--with eyes wide open--overpaid for cars I fully knew would be worth 15% less the next year (ring a bell anyone?). But I've driven Teslas and have read a lot of this board, so my mind wasnt blown---but the drive is really, really great. I've concluded there's combination very low weighting, very high power, wide and low stance, and absence of gear shift ,that makes this car (and in fairness maybe a few others) just a totally new driving dynamic

Conclusion. IMO Lucid now occupies a Very narrow niche--their appeal is, for now, mostly to enthusiasts like me. Tesla has slowly earned its way out of that niche, but they will soon face relentless competition. Right now Lucid owners, bec of quality deficiencies, require an amount of support the company can't sustain as more and more car are delivered. Something has to give. Just MO

So there are risks ahead---and I'd be paying $100k+ for driving characteristics I won't really enjoy in everyday driving... As much as I love the car, I won't buy until it's clear the software issues are really being solved, and the company is on strong financial footings.

I REALLY hope for both

Sorry you got a car that was lacking the lastest updates. The Studio really screwed the pooch on that one. While the software is still a work in progress, it is much better than what you experienced. WIth my new car, I have found that most of the negative stuff posted on this forum is out of date. Not all, but much of it. There are still issues with the software but it is much improved from what was being posted even a month or two ago. The nav system now has color 3D, which I love. Lane centering still needs to come but should "soon" (not soon enought for me). Not much can been done about the steering wheel issue you had. I understand your thoughts on waiting, not an unreasonable position, especially for those who want everything neat and tidy, the way most ICEs are these days. I think it will still be a number of years before any EV is at the stage of advanced developed regarding being relatively issue free that current ICEs are. The Lucid certainly is not for everone and the same is true for any EV. In fact, driving any EV on a long trip in cold weather is going to be a disappointment since the effeciency of the batteries and, hence, the resulting range greatly decreases. It is going to be awhile before people learn to plan longer trips during cold weather in an EV (even a Lucid) like we do now with ICEs. We really need the charging infrastructure to expend and improve. With all that said, I love my Lucid, am very happy I got it and am looking forward to my adventurous trip to Denver (driving over the Rockies in cold weather) for Thanksgiving.