Not a winter car?

[BS8899]

My car has the stock 19" with all seasons and I've had a few drives where the roads were awful here in Boston and the car performed wonderfully. I was really impressed.

However, my cold-weather gripes are that the trunk button often freezes and won't work (usually when it's below 20F) and my frunk often won't open when it's equally cold. This is typically common when it's snowed or rained then gotten to those really cold temps within the next day. Interestingly, I've read a lot of comments about door handles freezing, but I've never had that experience. Sucks when there's something in the frunk I have to get out (usually kids hockey equipment) and it just won't open. I have to keep trying to get the app to open it, and then get my fingers under that very small opening and yank it up, before the latch tries to secure it closed again.

I think you have to be careful trying to open the trunk/frunk in cold weather. Theya re probably "glued" to the body of the car by a thin ice film. Forcing it to open (other than heating up the car) might damage the seals. That could be a costly replacement!

 

[DennisIS]

I put 4 snows on my 2025 AGT. I have solid confidence in winter handling.
Just had it out in a freezing rain storm - got coated with ice. I did have to push the door handle to break it free.
Ground clearance is low - but not all that much different from my S6 or M5. None of these cars is a snow plow.

 

[mikecronis]

I put 4 snows on my 2025 AGT. I have solid confidence in winter handling.
Just had it out in a freezing rain storm - got coated with ice. I did have to push the door handle to break it free.
Ground clearance is low - but not all that much different from my S6 or M5. None of these cars is a snow plow.

The ground-clearance of this car is higher than any I've ever owned; my Cadillac ELR was much lower and handled snow just fine. I used to daily my Lotus Elise Touring in Denver in the winter (snow on the radiator made for a lot of steam, and the manual recommends removing it of course). I also dailied my SLP Firehawk in North Dakota in the winter as well. In both cases, winter tires are always a must. If you live in a snow-place, it's obvious to get snow tires specifically for that task and temperature. All-Weathers are "No-Weathers" to me, being poor in "all conditions". You wouldn't wear tennis shoes in deep snow. You wouldn't wear snow-boots in 110 deg. F. heat. Obvious, common-sense.

The OEM 19" Pirelli Sotto-Zeroes are acceptable, but I prefer Bridgestone Blizzaks.

 

[thommev]

I have lived and driven in north midwest for 15+ years now, and I have yet to use winter tires in any of my cars. Maybe you need them if you are drag racing, but for normal somewhat aggressive driving, all wheel drive with good all-season tires will do just fine. My 2-month experience with Lucid Air Touring with 19" all-season tires has reiterated that assessment. It drives as confident as any other car or SUV.

Having said that, reduction in range and issues with different door locks are real. Once the temperature hits 0F or below, it is hard to get to 200miles range. It is only an annoyance for me because I drive well less than 100miles every day and I usually don't need to open most doors/frunk/trunk.

 

[stratus]

I have lived and driven in north midwest for 15+ years now, and I have yet to use winter tires in any of my cars. Maybe you need them if you are drag racing, but for normal somewhat aggressive driving, all wheel drive with good all-season tires will do just fine. My 2-month experience with Lucid Air Touring with 19" all-season tires has reiterated that assessment. It drives as confident as any other car or SUV.

Having said that, reduction in range and issues with different door locks are real. Once the temperature hits 0F or below, it is hard to get to 200miles range. It is only an annoyance for me because I drive well less than 100miles every day and I usually don't need to open most doors/frunk/trunk.

Same experience here. Yes, below zero weather kills the range. Thankfully, it’s just a few weeks a year . It’s much worse with short distance drives. Once you have been steadily driving for a bit, the range hit is less dramatic , in my experience.

 

[Smitzer]

Same experience here. Yes, below zero weather kills the range. Thankfully, it’s just a few weeks a year . It’s much worse with short distance drives. Once you have been steadily driving for a bit, the range hit is less dramatic , in my experience.

Same here. The range loss while the battery is warming up is alarming. Once warm, it seems to me that range loss is about 20 - 25%, if there's not too much head/cross wind. My experience is driving in environments around 5 - 15 degrees Fahrenheit. As the temperature rises, the range losses reduce.

2025 AGT, for reference.

 

[californiaboy935]

The ground-clearance of this car is higher than any I've ever owned; my Cadillac ELR was much lower and handled snow just fine. I used to daily my Lotus Elise Touring in Denver in the winter (snow on the radiator made for a lot of steam, and the manual recommends removing it of course). I also dailied my SLP Firehawk in North Dakota in the winter as well. In both cases, winter tires are always a must. If you live in a snow-place, it's obvious to get snow tires specifically for that task and temperature. All-Weathers are "No-Weathers" to me, being poor in "all conditions". You wouldn't wear tennis shoes in deep snow. You wouldn't wear snow-boots in 110 deg. F. heat. Obvious, common-sense.

The OEM 19" Pirelli Sotto-Zeroes are acceptable, but I prefer Bridgestone Blizzaks.

I wonder how full of snow the side scoop radiators on the lucid get. Has it been an overheating problem?

 

[stratus]

I wonder how full of snow the side scoop radiators on the lucid get. Has it been an overheating problem?

In my experience, never

 

[LucidGoosey]

My car has the stock 19" with all seasons and I've had a few drives where the roads were awful here in Boston and the car performed wonderfully. I was really impressed.

However, my cold-weather gripes are that the trunk button often freezes and won't work (usually when it's below 20F) and my frunk often won't open when it's equally cold. This is typically common when it's snowed or rained then gotten to those really cold temps within the next day. Interestingly, I've read a lot of comments about door handles freezing, but I've never had that experience. Sucks when there's something in the frunk I have to get out (usually kids hockey equipment) and it just won't open. I have to keep trying to get the app to open it, and then get my fingers under that very small opening and yank it up, before the latch tries to secure it closed again.

You definitely cannot use the frunk in winter. My service manager recommended just never using the frunk from November - April because it can get stuck in a position where it will never close and make the car undriveable. So I just don't use it.

 

[fisheral]

You definitely cannot use the frunk in winter. My service manager recommended just never using the frunk from November - April because it can get stuck in a position where it will never close and make the car undriveable. So I just don't use it.

Unfortunately that also blocks the ability to replace washer fluid, which is extremely important in the winter. Mobile Service came and helped me pry the frunk open mid-winter to replace the the washer fluid. The car is now in service to replace the frunk latches.

If the frunk doesn't work reliably in the winter, they need to find an alternative way to refill washer fluid.

 

[JGard18]

Unfortunately that also blocks the ability to replace washer fluid, which is extremely important in the winter. Mobile Service came and helped me pry the frunk open mid-winter to replace the the washer fluid. The car is now in service to replace the frunk latches.

If the frunk doesn't work reliably in the winter, they need to find an alternative way to refill washer fluid.

Yeah, not using the frunk in the winter is not an option. I bought this car for its storage capabilities, including the frunk, as I'm often hauling around a lot of hockey gear. It doesn't all fit just in the trunk. I hope they can figure out a way to make things work better in a revised design eventually (like by the time my lease is up)

 

[LucidGoosey]

Unfortunately that also blocks the ability to replace washer fluid, which is extremely important in the winter. Mobile Service came and helped me pry the frunk open mid-winter to replace the the washer fluid. The car is now in service to replace the frunk latches.

If the frunk doesn't work reliably in the winter, they need to find an alternative way to refill washer fluid.

Oh, I agree. I'm just quoting what the service manager told me. But yeah, the inability to use the frunk in the winter (and thereby to refill the washer fluid) is crazy.
For now, I got to an indoor parking garage or car wash when I need to thaw out the frozen frunk so that I can open it to refill the washed fluid.

 

[fisheral]

The somewhat common occurrence of frunk issues in winter points to either (a) frunk latch manufacturing/installation issues; or (b) failure to properly design for/test frunk latch operation in the cold.

 

[borski]

The somewhat common occurrence of frunk issues in winter points to either (a) frunk latch manufacturing/installation issues; or (b) failure to properly design for/test frunk latch operation in the cold.

Yup. My guess is the former, since they did extensive cold testing with the car in general, but anything is possible.

 

[segbrk]

Not saying this is good, but maybe throw an electric blanket over the frunk for an hour if you need to change your washer fluid. For entirely unrelated reasons I do kind of wish there were a (close-able) airway between the frunk and the cabin like the ski pass-through to make it optionally a conditioned space. That could let it pre-heat in the winter, and also keep groceries from baking in the summer.

 

[Pragmatic]

I've used the frunk the last two winters (down to -20F) every other weekend to get to the ski slopes in VT. It has been balky at times but never locked my gear in nor prevented me from driving.

 

[fisheral]

I've used the frunk the last two winters (down to -20F) every other weekend to get to the ski slopes in VT. It has been balky at times but never locked my gear in nor prevented me from driving.

The fact that some (a majority?) of owners seem to be unaffected by winter frunk issues leads me to suspect it's a parts or production issue.

 

[Gandalf]

Agree with what a lot of others are saying here- we've had our AGT through (nearly) 3 winters in Colorado, and it's been a phenomenal snow car. The weight and traction control make it a superbly confident vehicle for snowy/icy/slick roacs. The OEM Pirelli Sottozeros have been great (but will probable replace with Blizzaks). Only winter issue we've encountered has been snow blocking sensors/cameras on occasion, but I've had the same problem with other cars. As far as door handles freezing- never, and the frunk is where we store our gear when we go skiing. No problem ever.

 

[BS8899]

Yup. My guess is the former, since they did extensive cold testing with the car in general, but anything is possible.

The issue with winter weather is not just the cold temperature. It is also affected by moisture condensation, moisture penetration into the crevices and then freezing.

Reading the many user issues of frunk and door handle problems in this forum, I think the pertinent question to ask is whether Lucid's "cold testing" is just cold-dry temperature or does it include moisture penetration.

A simple cold temperature test might confirm the car functionality when the temperature is low (e.g., below freezing). In reality, weather factors such as freezing rain, moisture ingress into the crevices and rubber seals (gaskets) from multiple freeze/un-freeze cycles can easily explain the type of problems (e.g., frunk frozen shut) owners are experiencing. These moisture-ingress/freezing-shut issues affect other cars, EVs or ICE cars, as well. The pertinent question is whether Lucid did this type of testing in their internal certification.

 

[stratus]

The issue with winter weather is not just the cold temperature. It is also affected by moisture condensation, moisture penetration into the crevices and then freezing.

Reading the many user issues of frunk and door handle problems in this forum, I think the pertinent question to ask is whether Lucid's "cold testing" is just cold-dry temperature or does it include moisture penetration.

A simple cold temperature test might confirm the car functionality when the temperature is low (e.g., below freezing). In reality, weather factors such as freezing rain, moisture ingress into the crevices and rubber seals (gaskets) from multiple freeze/un-freeze cycles can easily explain the type of problems (e.g., frunk frozen shut) owners are experiencing. These moisture-ingress/freezing-shut issues affect other cars, EVs or ICE cars, as well. The pertinent question is whether Lucid did this type of testing in their internal certification.

From my understanding, the frunk issue is parts related. If I recall properly, there are some owners who have had the latching mechanism replaced? Please correct me if I am wrong. The door handle seems distinct. Ice ingress has happened to me a few times, but like with any door handles I just manipulated it to break the ice free. Never a major headache. They could probably improve some winter related issues, but this car is the absolute bomb in cold weather .