Savagegeese Series on Gravity

[patriots328]

Savages is doing a series of interviews/episodes on Gravity.

 

[hmp10]

Interesting tidbit: this is the first time I've heard that Rawlinson was the Chief Engineer at Tesla on the Model X as well as the original Model S (15:38). Since the Model X didn't come out until well after Rawlinson left, it must have been in development earlier than I realized. And maybe it means that it was Musk rather than Rawlinson who drove the falcon door element, as it doesn't seem to me to be something Rawlinson would have wanted to see in a vehicle?

It also means that two of Lucid's models were developed under the same man who developed their predecessor models at Tesla.

 

[borski]

Interesting tidbit: this is the first time I've heard that Rawlinson was the Chief Engineer at Tesla on the Model X as well as the original Model S (15:38). Since the Model X didn't come out until well after Rawlinson left, it must have been in development earlier than I realized. And maybe it means that it was Musk rather than Rawlinson who drove the falcon door element, as it doesn't seem to me to be something Rawlinson would have wanted to see in a vehicle?

It also means that two of Lucid's models were developed under the same man who developed their predecessor models at Tesla.

And, importantly, that it is both of Tesla’s “luxury” models

 

[illopp00]

And, importantly, that it is both of Tesla’s “luxury” models

Counterpoint. Cybertruck is the current luxury flagship in quality, capability and sales...

 

[msaunders9430]

A very, very interesting interview. Loved it!

Anyone who has Lucid stock or is considering doing so, should watch.

Segments that fascinated me and enhanced my understanding:

• Peter's techno-commercial role
• Engineering vs marketing an suv - marketing in the context of lifestyle (about how life is enhanced (less fast charging due to range) vs. talking about features/specs
• People won’t forgive a botched suv - Focused on supply quality issues, software (leadership changes made, personally leading)
• Lucid is not a niche luxury company - Here to advance the state of the art of the ev to benefit mankind (address range and cost of ownership of sustainable transportation)
• Work life balance - No other interests? Maybe one day

My favorite parts:
Electrification is no longer purely an engineering conversation, it's political - feels responsibility to demysity the nuances and conmplexities
Parting shot - I”m not distracted by politics even if someone else is.

 

[patriots328]

I have found an interesting sound bite from the interim CFO (Gagan Dhingra) at today's NASDAQ investor's conference in regards to Lucid's battery roadmap, comment at 31m:35s. Seems like Lucid is working on and/or collaborating on new battery tech that may or may not involve solid state and this tech seems to be planned for upcoming model. The interview can be found below:

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/knrxnmto/

I think their planned target of 6mi/KwH will be enabled by a combination of further powertrain improvements, battery tech improvements (increased energy density leading to reduced overall weight per/KwH and hopefully significantly better charging performance). They have announced a Graphite sourcing agreement few months back and it's totally possible that they want to bring this capability in-house making them more vertically integrated similar to BYD and giving them superior pricing and margins (from investor standpoint).

 

[borski]

Counterpoint. Cybertruck is the current luxury flagship in quality, capability and sales...

I know you seem to think that’s better somehow, but in my eyes it’s just objectively worse.

But that’s totally fine haha; to each their own.

 

[borski]

Work life balance - No other interests? Maybe one day

Plenty of other interests; just no time in which to engage in them.

 

[Lucken]

Interesting tidbit: this is the first time I've heard that Rawlinson was the Chief Engineer at Tesla on the Model X as well as the original Model S (15:38). Since the Model X didn't come out until well after Rawlinson left, it must have been in development earlier than I realized. And maybe it means that it was Musk rather than Rawlinson who drove the falcon door element, as it doesn't seem to me to be something Rawlinson would have wanted to see in a vehicle?

It also means that two of Lucid's models were developed under the same man who developed their predecessor models at Tesla.

Musk always said the gull wing doors was the biggest mistake he made at Tesla. Far too complex.

 

[mnat]

Musk always said the gull wing doors was the biggest mistake he made at Tesla. Far too complex.

That comment must’ve been made before the creation of the Cybertruck….

 

[hydbob]

Can we not turn this into the 1,000,000th thread about Tesla...again.

 

[hmp10]

Can we not turn this into the 1,000,000th thread about Tesla...again.

I do get the reason for the concern. However, the first installment of the new "Savagegeese" series called "Why Is It So Hard to Build A Car?" just launched with a lengthy interview with Peter Rawlinson in which Rawlinson talked extensively about his background at Tesla and how much of the approach he used there carried over into his engineering and staffing approaches at Lucid. Also, for all the talk about benchmarking against Porsche, Lamborghini, German luxury brands, etc., everyone knows that Tesla is always in Rawlinson's and Lucid's sidelong gazes. And just yesterday, Jason Cammisa discussed how Rawlinson has openly viewed the Lucid Air as, at its core, his Model S 2.0.

I agree we should not just take random opportunities to pile on about Tesla (or Musk, which is one of my most burdensome obsessions), but there are some contexts in which a discussion of things Tesla is germane to a discussion of things Lucid. Given how many Lucid people have a Tesla stint on their resumes, there is inevitably a lot of Tesla DNA coursing through the Lucid organization.

 

[flarbear]

Interesting comment around 25:50

"Some of that will get into Air before Gravity even happens"

Well, technically Gravity has already "happened" with first customer VINs delivered, though I take it he meant "in volume".

 

[hmp10]

. . . with first customer VINs delivered . . . .

Uh, oh. Did I miss another Lucid news flash?

 

[cgm9999]

I just finished watching the video and as expected, was mesmerized - I could listen to Mr. Rawlinson for hours. It's such a breath of fresh air to listen to a CEO that is as earnest as they are wise - an incredibly rare quality nowadays.

It also confirmed why I drive a Lucid and own stock. I've always gravitated toward vehicles that were obviously "engineered" rather than "marketed" and the Lucid exemplifies this. As long as Lucid continues to build vehicles whose aim is to solve real engineering problems, I will continue to support it.

 

[flarbear]

Uh, oh. Did I miss another Lucid news flash?

Maybe I misunderstood the Production starting video. Was that car not intended for customer delivery? But, in any case, it is a milestone measuring that Gravity is not a future tense vehicle.

 

[hydbob]

Interesting comment around 25:50

"Some of that will get into Air before Gravity even happens"

Well, technically Gravity has already "happened" with first customer VINs delivered, though I take it he meant "in volume".

Curb rash assist is one of those features. Also no customer VINs have been delivered yet.

 

[hmp10]

Maybe I misunderstood the Production starting video. Was that car not intended for customer delivery? But, in any case, it is a milestone measuring that Gravity is not a future tense vehicle.

I think it is intended for customer delivery, although perhaps to an insider rather than to the wider market. However, I doubt if it's yet been delivered, as there will probably still be a lot of testing before releasing it . . . and maybe even considerations about things such as paint curing time. (That's pretty much a SWAG, though, as my limited knowledge of automotive paints is long since outdated.)