State of Charge video on Lucid Motors

[Plg]

 

[victoryroad]

Rawlinson is brilliant. Not just a car guy and engineer, but a phenomenal technical and design master. (Form follows function). Most car people, much less the general public have any clue about the attributes of Lucid vehicles. Rather they focus on finding fault with the charging network, the price of current models or simply extrapolating the future with the stock price decline. The fact is that Lucid is building to scale as efficiently as possible and is fortunate to have the cash support of the PIF. Any successful endeavor that ultimately scales takes time and capital to gain adoption and a following. Need we look further than Tesla for example? Gravity is the next step but I believe that there will be many more that deliver efficient vehicles to a much broader market.

Those of us who have been on this journey with Lucid know that the employees exhibit the best attributes of any corporate culture regarding how it relates to its customers. That is an admirable achievement in itself and portends well for current and future customers. Not unlike Porsche in its embryonic days with what was an unconventional clean sheet design, it steadily improved everything that it did to become one of the top profit margin car businesses that has endured for decades with a loyal customer base. That defines a successful long-term strategy.

Thanks, Lucid from a long-time, yes old, car aficionado.

 

[hmp10]

Cory Steuben, formerly the President of Sandy Munro's engineering consulting group, recently joined Lucid. (Munro & Associates garnered internet fame for tearing down Teslas and consulting with Tesla and other automakers on manufacturability and reliability issues.)

I know waves of panic recurrently roll over Lucid fans and share owners about the stock price and Lucid's survival, but I cannot escape the conclusion that Lucid has been given guarantees of Saudi PIF support for the long term. I have long believed the Saudis are in this for the long game, and both the continuing factory expansions and the hire of a Cory Steuben seem to support this.

At Munro, Steuben's focus was on engineering cars for manufacturing efficiency and high reliability at mass volumes. His joining Lucid after 17 years with Munro suggests his confidence that Lucid is on that path.

 

[Jfam]

I am a new owner and love my car. It is clearly superior to any competitor now on the market. Everyone I have encountered in person or by phone at Lucid has been superior. However, I fear for Lucid’s future.

Within 5 years won’t solid state batteries be the standard? Won’t they be used by many, if not all, of the world’s car manufacturers? If so, then won’t most all car makers be offering products with 700 (or more) miles of range, super fast recharging and hundreds of thousands of miles of car life? Additionally, they all have dealers so an owner can get nearby service and be able to trade their car in for a new one.

How will Lucid fare against that competition?

 

[Bobby]

I am a new owner and love my car. It is clearly superior to any competitor now on the market. Everyone I have encountered in person or by phone at Lucid has been superior. However, I fear for Lucid’s future.

Within 5 years won’t solid state batteries be the standard? Won’t they be used by many, if not all, of the world’s car manufacturers? If so, then won’t most all car makers be offering products with 700 (or more) miles of range, super fast recharging and hundreds of thousands of miles of car life? Additionally, they all have dealers so an owner can get nearby service and be able to trade their car in for a new one.

How will Lucid fare against that competition?

Tech moves forward and will never stop. If you wait until technology finishes improving, you will be waiting forever.

 

[DeaneG]

I am a new owner and love my car. It is clearly superior to any competitor now on the market. Everyone I have encountered in person or by phone at Lucid has been superior. However, I fear for Lucid’s future.

Within 5 years won’t solid state batteries be the standard? Won’t they be used by many, if not all, of the world’s car manufacturers? If so, then won’t most all car makers be offering products with 700 (or more) miles of range, super fast recharging and hundreds of thousands of miles of car life? Additionally, they all have dealers so an owner can get nearby service and be able to trade their car in for a new one.

How will Lucid fare against that competition?

In 7-10 years, many EVs will be using solid state batteries. They're not likely to be in mass production for cars in less than 7 years. Lucid will be using them too, when they become economically viable. Not all cars will have 500+ mile range with solid-state batteries. Most will have ~300 mile range at a lower price point.

Lucid's cars are extraordinary not just for their range, but also for their power, efficiency, interior space utilization, ride quality, handling and comfort. There will always be competition, but Lucid has a great head start on legacy automakers.

 

[segbrk]

Within 5 years won’t solid state batteries be the standard? Won’t they be used by many, if not all, of the world’s car manufacturers? If so, then won’t most all car makers be offering products with 700 (or more) miles of range, super fast recharging and hundreds of thousands of miles of car life? Additionally, they all have dealers so an owner can get nearby service and be able to trade their car in for a new one.

How will Lucid fare against that competition?

Yes battery tech will continue to improve. Most car makers will almost certainly not be offering products with 700+ miles of range, because that is counterproductive for most people. Charging stations will also improve, both in reliability and widespread availability. The range wars are almost over, Lucid is at the top end of what's actually practical already. Gas cars don't commonly run for 700+ miles - not because they couldn't, but because that extra space used and extra weight is detrimental to most driving.

Lucid is taking the right approach by optimizing their drive train rather than cramming more batteries in. They have a head start on other manufacturers with the cheaper, lighter technology that will actually matter in making affordable EVs a few years from now. They haven't just stopped there either, they continue to improve that technology.

 

[Lucken]

Tech moves forward and will never stop. If you wait until technology finishes improving, you will be waiting forever.

It reminds me, and yes I’m certainly old enough to remember, those that kept waiting for color TV to be ‘perfected’. Those folks missed out on some unique (at the time) programming that greatly enhanced viewing pleasure. I remember well the thrill of seeing Bonanza & Disney in color. I guess I’ve now dated myself.

 

[victoryroad]

I am a new owner and love my car. It is clearly superior to any competitor now on the market. Everyone I have encountered in person or by phone at Lucid has been superior. However, I fear for Lucid’s future.you fear for Lucid

Within 5 years won’t solid state batteries be the standard? Won’t they be used by many, if not all, of the world’s car manufacturers? If so, then won’t most all car makers be offering products with 700 (or more) miles of range, super fast recharging and hundreds of thousands of miles of car life? Additionally, they all have dealers so an owner can get nearby service and be able to trade their car in for a new one.

How will Lucid fare against that competition?

Bobby is right. Enjoy your car now for all of its objectively superior attributes. Technological advances are inevitable. If you fear for Lucid, it may be helpful to know that Lucid must provide support for its vehicles for years. If you favor the dealership model that is your choice, but it is inefficient, IMO and its legacy/monopoly protection in many states reflects lobbying power. Technology has made many things more efficient by cutting out the middle interests that have enjoyed an advantage for many years. Those interests will not relinquish that advantage without a fight.

 

[Jfam]

I agree with the three replies that have been sent to now. However, none answered the question as to how Lucid should be expect to fare against the then prevailing competition. So, let me rephrase:
In the next few years when solid-state batteries are available to all manufacturers, won’t they all have the ability to produce vehicles that offer appropriate range for every day use around town and for long-distance driving? Additionally, and importantly, they have dealer networks around the country that make service visits immediately available and convenient. No need to wait for a truck. The dealers also offer the opportunity to trade in a car. Lucid will likely offer luxury models, SUV and entry level cars. Companies like GM, BMW and Mercedes will offer models in most, if not all, all market segments.

Last year against today’s competition with a clear technological head-start Lucid sold just more than 6,000 cars.

So . . . ?

 

[scal_air]

It reminds me, and yes I’m certainly old enough to remember, those that kept waiting for color TV to be ‘perfected’. Those folks missed out on some unique (at the time) programming that greatly enhanced viewing pleasure. I remember well the thrill of seeing Bonanza & Disney in color. I guess I’ve now dated myself.

I was going to compare it to flat screen TVs but you've got me beat!

 

[borski]

I agree with the three replies that have been sent to now. However, none answered the question as to how Lucid should be expect to fare against the then prevailing competition. So, let me rephrase:
In the next few years when solid-state batteries are available to all manufacturers, won’t they all have the ability to produce vehicles that offer appropriate range for every day use around town and for long-distance driving? Additionally, and importantly, they have dealer networks around the country that make service visits immediately available and convenient. No need to wait for a truck. The dealers also offer the opportunity to trade in a car. Lucid will likely offer luxury models, SUV and entry level cars. Companies like GM, BMW and Mercedes will offer models in most, if not all, all market segments.

Last year against today’s competition with a clear technological head-start Lucid sold just more than 6,000 cars.

So . . . ?

Predicting the future is a fool’s errand. Nobody here is a psychic. Hell, will you or I be around in 7 years? Who knows.

So yes, range will get longer.

But battery is only one piece of that puzzle; drivetrain doesn’t change, regardless of battery. Lucid is far far ahead in powertrain/drivetrain tech, so as batteries improve so will Lucid. Others are still catching up on drivetrain though, and solid state batteries don’t improve that.

Yes, there are a lot of incumbents. There will always be, until Lucid is an incumbent. Solid state batteries don’t change that either.

The real question you’re asking is: how do I get comfortable with risk? And nobody here can answer that for you.

 

[Jfam]

Well. . . I did buy a GT and sold my i8 to do so.

 

[hmp10]

However, none answered the question as to how Lucid should be expect to fare against the then prevailing competition.

The question is premised on a false assumption: that common powertrain components destroy brand differentiation. The vast majority of cars have been powered by gasoline combustion engines for over 125 years. That has not kept brands from successfully differentiating themselves to find and even dominate certain segments of the market for decades on end despite using the same core powertrain components as every other brand. There is no reason that EVs will not do the same.

In fact, it's already happening. A Rivian R1T is a very different pickup from a Ford F-150 Lightning. A Porsche Taycan is a very different sedan from a Tesla Model S. A Chevy Bolt EUV is a very different CUV from a VW ID.4. And a Lucid Air is a very different grand tourer from a Mercedes EQS. Yet they all use very similar battery chemistries and one of two motor types (induction or permanent magnet). There is no reason to think there will be any more convergence and loss of brand differentiation among EVs than there has been among ICE vehicles.

 

[DeaneG]

I agree with the three replies that have been sent to now. However, none answered the question as to how Lucid should be expect to fare against the then prevailing competition. So, let me rephrase:
In the next few years when solid-state batteries are available to all manufacturers, won’t they all have the ability to produce vehicles that offer appropriate range for every day use around town and for long-distance driving?...

Lucid's drivetrain technology means that their cars have more range than the competition while using a smaller battery, reducing cost. Batteries are the single most expensive component of a vehicle. Doesn't matter if everyone is using liquid electrolyte battery, or solid.

 

[scal_air]

I'm betting xponents will be around

Currently, I think we all agree that Lucid is selling the most technologically advanced EV to the upper end of the market. I love the product, but that's not to say it couldn't be improved. I highly doubt that Lucid is content to rest on its laurels but will continue to improve and incorporate new technological advances if it wants to compete in the high end market. Who knows what strategy they may pivot to in the future. Remember when Tesla was bleeding money for the first seven years? Their product was the Tesla Roadster - where is it now? (No seriously, where is the Tesla Roadster?) Will Lucid's path follow as the Gravity and Mid-Size (insert name here) are rolled out?
The only thing that I'm confident is that the EV market will grow in leaps and bounds as technology makes it more affordable. Batteries and DC motors are inherently more reliable than gas engines, so if acquisition cost decreases, there is no way for ICE to compete as everyday drivers....

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

Rawlinson is brilliant. Not just a car guy and engineer, but a phenomenal technical and design master. (Form follows function). Most car people, much less the general public have any clue about the attributes of Lucid vehicles.

The technology inside the Lucid makes me wet. It is the best, sexiest, part of the car. People ask me what I like about my Lucid. I say, seriously, " Everything you can not see."

If they insist, I make them squat behind the car and look at the strikes. get down get dirty

Those of us who have been on this journey with Lucid know that the employees exhibit the best attributes of any corporate culture regarding how it relates to its customers. That is an admirable achievement in itself and portends well for current and future customers. Not unlike Porsche in its embryonic days with what was an unconventional clean sheet design, it steadily improved everything that it did to become one of the top profit margin car businesses that has endured for decades with a loyal customer base. That defines a successful long-term strategy.

Thanks, Lucid from a long-time, yes old, car aficionado.

this makes me wet too ...

 

[scal_air]

Cosmo drives around in the first Lucid submersible made...

 

[Jfam]

All true. And last year in the US Mercedes sold more than 40,000 EVs, Lucid just more than 6,000.

I wrote originally as a devil’s advocate in response to a puff piece on Rawlinson and the new factory.

Again let me write, “I am a new owner and love my car. It is clearly superior to any competitor now on the market. Everyone I have encountered in person or by phone at Lucid has been superior. “

 

[victoryroad]

I agree with the three replies that have been sent to now. However, none answered the question as to how Lucid should be expect to fare against the then prevailing competition. So, let me rephrase:
In the next few years when solid-state batteries are available to all manufacturers, won’t they all have the ability to produce vehicles that offer appropriate range for every day use around town and for long-distance driving? Additionally, and importantly, they have dealer networks around the country that make service visits immediately available and convenient. No need to wait for a truck. The dealers also offer the opportunity to trade in a car. Lucid will likely offer luxury models, SUV and entry level cars. Companies like GM, BMW and Mercedes will offer models in most, if not all, all market segments.

Last year against today’s competition with a clear technological head-start Lucid sold just more than 6,000 cars.

So . . . ?

There are not a lot of Lucid service centers yet but for me, the availability of service has been quite satisfactory. Your assertion that "service visits are immediately available and convenient. No need to wait for a truck" is not exactly my experience dealing with MB, BMW, Audi, and Porsche over about 20 years. The service managers and techs were generally very nice and usually proficient, but their availability was not immediate or necessarily convenient. My sales reps were always friendly enough but I never expected nor received special accommodation. Dealers were not my friends and always made profits on sales or trade-ins. I got much more value from Lucid than from any of the other makes mentioned in terms of every aspect of the vehicle plus service. Of course, one's evaluation of value may be subjective.

So...I will just drive mine and enjoy it. I am not concerned about how Lucid "should be expect (sic) to fare against the then prevailing competition?"