I guess I'll plan to run up twice a year for the swap. Thanks for the info.
Sapphire Reveal
- Thread starter Psymac
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I guess I'll plan to run up twice a year for the swap. Thanks for the info.
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The picture of the Sapphire interior on the Lucid website shows the rear seat with the deeper footwells of the smaller battery pack. That can't be right . . . can it?
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Just curious. Did you find out anything?
I called Lucid Sales today with another question and told them a sales rep in illinois was saying there was a trade-in program. The person with whom I spoke said, "I can tell you 100% there will not be a trade-in program". This squares with what I heard earlier from someone in Lucid Sales HQ.
Less weight = Better handling? Though..how do they pump the hp when it's battery limited with less batteries? Damn physics and science!
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At the Quail, they privately mentioned that they’re working on one but it’s going to take a long time. I wouldn’t hold my breath.
That is interesting. Wonder if it was just a goof, someone grabbed the wrong interior image to mock up? Or, the 260kg or so weight difference was an engineering decision to maximize power to weight ratio.
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I'm sure it was a flub on the website. There's no way the Sapphire could produce the necessary current without the max battery pack. I did have a passing moment of hope that Lucid had figured out some place else to put those four battery modules, but then I remembered that Erich Bach said the Sapphire preserved all the cargo space of the lesser Airs. Also, I later noticed that the thumbnail photos at the bottom of the Sapphire home page showed rear seats with the higher floorboard. So my hope was snuffed out.
I'm still on the fence about trading up to a Sapphire, as there as some things I like less about it than the Dream Edition . . . but getting that rear footwell space would have cinched it for me. (I would willingly trade away some cargo space to get those deeper footwells, but I'm reconciled to the fact that that's not going to happen.)
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I’d pay $300,000 for a Charmander version.
Love it!!!!
My tinfoil hat suggests the Sapphire is to help capture that 1% and shore up their bottom line. The ROI is immediate and operationally more efficient to build.
And TBH, I’m a bit baffled by how OTA updates is seen by some as some high and mighty feature. Isn’t it pretty commonplace for EVs these days? And while the hardware / driving dynamics may be superior to cars in its class, it’s a stretch to keep using that as the be-all end-all talking point in compensating for their flawed software execution. What good is the most hardware-advanced iPhone if iOS sucks. Just a thought.
And TBH, I’m a bit baffled by how OTA updates is seen by some as some high and mighty feature. Isn’t it pretty commonplace for EVs these days? And while the hardware / driving dynamics may be superior to cars in its class, it’s a stretch to keep using that as the be-all end-all talking point in compensating for their flawed software execution. What good is the most hardware-advanced iPhone if iOS sucks. Just a thought.
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You might be surprised how many brands still do not perform OTA updates or perform them only for limited purposes, such as infotainment features:
Over-the-air updates: How does each EV automaker compare?
A detailed guide explaining over-the-air software and firmware updates as well as the status of each EV manufacturers current capabilities.
electrek.co
As for comparing a car to a smart phone, you may be able to get your car to perform some of the core functions of a smart phone. You'll never get your smart phone to perform the core function of a car, which is to transport people and things.
Some drivers still look to a car for an array of sensations derived from operating a well-engineered machine at speed through space and find its dynamic capabilities the most important aspect of ownership.
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"OTA" as a buzzword is common, but so many auto manufacturers still require a service visit and/or only release them extremely infrequently (to the tune of once or twice a year, if that). So while *technically* the software can be updated over-the-air, it is not very many manufacturers who release updates frequently and with easy installation.
KySerenity
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It is possible Lucid chose the smaller battery pack to reduce the weight and maximize performance. If this is true, it would explain the lack of information on the range of the Sapphire. It would be tough to pay 250K for a vehicle with less range than the Pure.
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The power output of the motors is in good part a function of the current levels the battery pack can deliver. I don't think there's any chance that the 92-kWh smaller battery pack could produce the current for over 1200hp of output. In fact, the motors themselves are capable of around 670hp each, yet the three motors of the Sapphire will produce significantly less than that due to battery pack limitations.
I was told by Lucid that at some point there may be an option for the smaller battery pack in the Grand Touring for customers who want the interior features but don't need the range. However, I was also told that it would reduce to power of the car from the ~800hp of the larger-pack car to something like the 620hp of the Touring.
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The range point should be interesting to see how it plays out. The Hypercars of today are pretty much all thirsty beasts, 7-9 MPG kind of normal when you are hard on the throttle. Customers coming from current ICE Hypercars may be OK with less range, noting the shock and awe performance the Sapphire will deliver.
The Sapphire is going to be compared to the Plaid. As long as it has as much or more range than the Plaid
It just would make more sense to give the Touring an option of massaging seats rather than give the GT an option of downgrading their battery's capacity, power, range, and charge speed
Overcharged
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Of course, it has been since it was announced. The key thing with the Sapphire is it's a really nice car to be in, the Plaid is fast but with a crappy interior.
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Our Model S Plaid with just over 11,000 miles on it has developed numerous noises in the rear cabin that sound as if interior panels are rubbing against each other as the body structure flexes over uneven pavement. On the same roads our Lucid Dream P with almost 10,000 miles on it remains rock solid, with no squeaks, creaks, or rattles. And the interior room, materials quality, and fit & finish of the Plaid aren't anywhere near the same league as the Lucid.
Now, if Lucid could just get its software sorted . . . .
