Test drive before 2H25.....maybe?

[californiaboy935]

There is a good chance that this may happen next week.

I imagine the stock price will tumble… unless the lot is completely full.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

If you look back at the Air release and subsequent reservation numbers, I'd say it wasn't much ado about nothing. Air had over 35,000 reservations which they could not convert the majority of those to actual deliveries because of delays.

While, I agree that the car needs to mostly functioning in order to deliver, there is not an infinite period of time to delay. I'm sure no one wants a repeat of what happened with the Pure release....

There were a lot of contributing factors at that time…including the fact that it was a completely new company with no product on the roads and the delays were appreciably longer. Let’s keep this in perspective…orders opened four months ago, not two years ago. People’s ability to wait is more what seems to be changing and that MAY hurt Lucid, true. There are those that are in a rush and will settle for an inferior vehicle and/or need a vehicle soon and Lucid may lose them as customers in the short term, but there are a huge number of other buyers to be had when the car DOES ship.

If everyone’s fears about evaporating customers are so reality based, why is Lucid selling more Airs NOW than they did 3 years ago? Surely it’s not because they have fewer potential customers. And those initial 35,000 preorders? Preorders are always hugely over-inflated.

Respectfully, we disagree. I maintain that there is an echo chamber here of folks who want their Gravity and are having trouble dealing with the wait (potentially for completely legit reasons!), but let’s not paint a scenario for the demise of Lucid because it takes an extra several months to ramp up production. To me, that is just hyperbole.

Lucid said this would be a slow ramp with deliveries starting in earnest between now and Summer and seriously ramping up toward year-end. That’s what we’ve been told, do they really need to reassure of this every two weeks?

 

[hydbob]

There were a lot of contributing factors at that time…including the fact that it was a completely new company with no product on the roads and the delays were appreciably longer. Let’s keep this in perspective…orders opened four months ago, not two years ago. People’s ability to wait is more what seems to be changing and that MAY hurt Lucid, true. There are those that are in a rush and will settle for an inferior vehicle and/or need a vehicle soon and Lucid may lose them as customers in the short term, but there are a huge number of other buyers to be had when the car DOES ship.

If everyone’s fears about evaporating customers are so reality based, why is Lucid selling more Airs NOW than they did 3 years ago? Surely it’s not because they have fewer potential customers. And those initial 35,000 preorders? Preorders are always hugely over-inflated.

Respectfully, we disagree. I maintain that there is an echo chamber here of folks who want their Gravity and are having trouble dealing with the wait (potentially for completely legit reasons!), but let’s not paint a scenario for the demise of Lucid because it takes an extra several months to ramp up production. To me, that is just hyperbole.

Lucid said this would be a slow ramp with deliveries starting in earnest between now and Summer and seriously ramping up toward year-end. That’s what we’ve been told, do they really need to reassure of this every two weeks?

Perspective: Lucid has already delayed Gravity by over a year from their initial announcement of Gravity.
Perspective: Lucid said ORDERS not reservations because they expected to deliver within 90 days.

I don't think it's so much an echo chamber so much as customers expecting Lucid to live up to what they said.

 

[borski]

If you look back at the Air release and subsequent reservation numbers, I'd say it wasn't much ado about nothing. Air had over 35,000 reservations which they could not convert the majority of those to actual deliveries because of delays.

Yes, but many of those reservations had been held for multiple *years*, and in that time the pricing had changed, the specs had changed, there was a pandemic, etc.

These will be held for what, 6-9 months at the maximum before deliveries are happening? Not exactly the same timeline as 2-3 years.

Your point is fair; it’s just not apples to apples.

 

[hydbob]

Yes, but many of those reservations had been held for multiple *years*, and in that time the pricing had changed, the specs had changed, there was a pandemic, etc.

These will be held for what, 6-9 months at the maximum before deliveries are happening? Not exactly the same timeline as 2-3 years.

Your point is fair; it’s just not apples to apples.

Possibly, no one can predict the future, I'm just waxing on about how I hope they don't repeat the past. No more pandemic excuses this time around, but will the trade wars be used as an excuse for further delay? Time will tell

 

[hmp10]

I imagine the stock price will tumble… unless the lot is completely full.

Oh, well, even a 20% crash would only erase ~20 cents off the price. Silver linings, silver linings . . . .

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Perspective: Lucid has already delayed Gravity by over a year from their initial announcement of Gravity.
Perspective: Lucid said ORDERS not reservations because they expected to deliver within 90 days.

I don't think it's so much an echo chamber so much as customers expecting Lucid to live up to what they said.

Your perspective points are duly noted and perhaps "echo chamber" isn't exactly the right terminology.

I just personally think it would be great for folks to be able to chill, realize the incredible privilege we all have for being in a position to buy (and someday drive) a vehicle like this and dwell on that rather than fussing over whether it took 90 days or 120 days to get the darn thing. It's just the Mother of all First World Problems IMHO.

 

[tonybot]

Like everything in life, individual mileage may vary. Some folks need a vehicle soon and will move on to other vehicles; others would wait - some impatiently and some patiently. I, for one, am in both camps. I am usually patient, but sometimes I get antsy thinking I haven’t test-driven one, let alone sat in one. I don’t know lease rates, and I am unsure if EV tax credits will be available when I get one. But last week's events at the White House give me hope that EV tact credits may not disappear quickly.

Again, your mileage may vary, and I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to think about it. People are free to feel the way they want to feel about it.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Like everything in life, individual mileage may vary. Some folks need a vehicle soon and will move on to other vehicles; others would wait - some impatiently and some patiently. I, for one, am in both camps. I am usually patient, but sometimes I get antsy thinking I haven’t test-driven one, let alone sat in one. I don’t know lease rates, and I am unsure if EV tax credits will be available when I get one. But last week's events at the White House give me hope that EV tact credits may not disappear quickly.

Again, your mileage may vary, and I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to think about it. People are free to feel the way they want to feel about it.

You’re absolutely right. My previous post comes off as judgmental…sorry about that folks. If you are having a tough time with the wait, less communication than you’d like, etc., I feel for you. I realize that I am fortunate to neither need the Gravity (ever, let alone within any specific timeframe) nor does the waiting bother me. As said by @tonybot, your mileage may vary and wherever that takes you? I’m fine with.

 

[hydbob]

Your perspective points are duly noted and perhaps "echo chamber" isn't exactly the right terminology.

I just personally think it would be great for folks to be able to chill, realize the incredible privilege we all have for being in a position to buy (and someday drive) a vehicle like this and dwell on that rather than fussing over whether it took 90 days or 120 days to get the darn thing. It's just the Mother of all First World Problems IMHO.

I can both appreciate the cars and company for what it is while at the same time worry that their timeline and decisions are not what I believe are helpful for the long term viability of the company. A superior product does not always lead to success and currently, the short comings of the only model available to judge the company, leave a lot to be desired and questioned by new customers.

 

[borski]

I can both appreciate the cars and company for what it is while at the same time worry that their timeline and decisions are not what I believe are helpful for the long term viability of the company. A superior product does not always lead to success and currently, the short comings of the only model available to judge the company, leave a lot to be desired and questioned by new customers.

You’re right about both appreciating and criticizing it, of course.

But I don’t think it’s entirely fair to say “the short comings of the only model available to judge the company, leave a lot to be desired and questioned by new customers,” as it discounts all of the ways in which the only model available has also far surpassed its competition.

It isn’t perfect. It has shortcomings. But those shortcomings are *certainly* not its only qualities, nor the only thing new customers necessarily focus on.

In *many* ways, there are few, if any, cars that stack up. In *some* ways, it drags.

 

[hydbob]

You’re right about both appreciating and criticizing it, of course.

But I don’t think it’s entirely fair to say “the short comings of the only model available to judge the company, leave a lot to be desired and questioned by new customers,” as it discounts all of the ways in which the only model available has also far surpassed its competition.

It isn’t perfect. It has shortcomings. But those shortcomings are *certainly* not its only qualities, nor the only thing new customers necessarily focus on.

In *many* ways, there are few, if any, cars that stack up. In *some* ways, it drags.

Right. We have praised Lucid many times over for what they have gotten right and I still love love my car for what it is, but there still remains ways the company has taken 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Right. We have praised Lucid many times over for what they have gotten right and I still love love my car for what it is, but there still remains ways the company has taken 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

I know we will not agree on this, which is totally fine, but I'd say 1.5 steps forward and 1 step back. I too wish the progress was faster, BUT, 1 step forward and 2 steps back seriously undervalues what HAS been accomplished IMHO...

 

[Pragmatic]

I thought the plan was not to repeat he Air and only open Gravity order book close to volume (if we accept that 1,000/month is volume) production. It made sense to have Air orders open over a year before volume production, it built buzz for the brand. Six months between opening of orders and volume production for a second model, is not building buzz for the brand.

 

[CraZ8]

I thought the plan was not to repeat he Air and only open Gravity order book close to volume (if we accept that 1,000/month is volume) production. It made sense to have Air orders open over a year before volume production, it built buzz for the brand. Six months between opening of orders and volume production for a second model, is not building buzz for the brand.

Yes you might read Rawlinsons abrupt departure from CEO into that equation as well

 

[hmp10]

Oh, well, even a 20% crash would only erase ~20 cents off the price. Silver linings, silver linings . . . .

I just noticed an error in this post. It should be a 10% crash would erase ~20 cents.

Of course, we'll have to see what the coming week brings . . . .

 

[Blue Lectroid]

I thought the plan was not to repeat he Air and only open Gravity order book close to volume (if we accept that 1,000/month is volume) production. It made sense to have Air orders open over a year before volume production, it built buzz for the brand. Six months between opening of orders and volume production for a second model, is not building buzz for the brand.

Volvo opened orders almost 2 years before the EX90, Ford was 2 years before the F150 Electric, Polestar? Same deal. Tesla? How’s the Roadster coming along?!?

So Lucid opens orders 11/7/2024, ships the first production line vehicles end of December 2024, has shipped over 100 so far and is on track for volume production by mid-year. Yeah, in comparison to all of the above far more experienced marques they clearly are deserving of all the criticism they get around here, NOT!

Oh, and from early reviews, the Lucid Gravity is a significantly superior vehicle to what Volvo, Polestar, Ford and Tesla have all yet made. So, faster from announcement to shipping and a better product. Yup, definitely deserving of continued condemnation. Again, NOT.

 

[hmp10]

Volvo opened orders almost 2 years before the EX90, Ford was 2 years before the F150 Electric, Polestar? Same deal. Tesla? How’s the Roadster coming along?!?

So Lucid opens orders 11/7/2024, ships the first production line vehicles end of December 2024, has shipped over 100 so far and is on track for volume production by mid-year. Yeah, in comparison to all of the above far more experienced marques they clearly are deserving of all the criticism they get around here, NOT!

Oh, and from early reviews, the Lucid Gravity is a significantly superior vehicle to what Volvo, Polestar, Ford and Tesla have all yet made. So, faster from announcement to shipping and a better product. Yup, definitely deserving of continued condemnation. Again, NOT.

I don't disagree with any of your observations.

However, I think part of the anxiety people are feeling comes from the deteriorating external situation while we wait for final Gravity Sales Agreements to be presented for signature to lock in sales: loss of EV incentives, stock market jitters, looming trade wars, growing hostility outside the U.S. to American products, etc. In a lot of ways, it's starting to feel like 2020/21 again when the Air launch saw several delays while headwinds kept building: COVID arrived, supply chains got disrupted, car sales dropped, market uncertainty grew.

Personally, I don't mind if getting our Gravity takes a while longer now that we have a Dream Edition locked in. But I am nevertheless getting frustrated that the momentum that built in the automotive press several months ago has completely evaporated. I thought that by this point -- four months after start of production was announced -- we'd be seeing reviews of production Gravities from major automotive journalists instead of the insipid daily dribble of YouTube clickbait garbage that can't even find a picture of an actual Gravity to use.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

I don't disagree with any of your observations.

However, I think part of the anxiety people are feeling comes from the deteriorating external situation while we wait for final Gravity Sales Agreements to be presented for signature to lock in sales: loss of EV incentives, stock market jitters, looming trade wars, growing hostility outside the U.S. to American products, etc. In a lot of ways, it's starting to feel like 2020/21 again when the Air launch saw several delays while headwinds kept building: COVID arrived, supply chains got disrupted, car sales dropped, market uncertainty grew.

Personally, I don't mind if getting our Gravity takes a while longer now that we have a Dream Edition locked in. But I am nevertheless getting frustrated that the momentum that built in the automotive press several months ago has completely evaporated. I thought that by this point -- four months after start of production was announced -- we'd be seeing reviews of production Gravities from major automotive journalists instead of the insipid daily dribble of YouTube clickbait garbage that can't even find a picture of an actual Gravity to use.

Now I better understand your concerns, thank you. Yes, the Macro factors are definitely a possible issue. Unfortunately not even the best management in the world can forecast those and, given these macro trends, I’d rather be Lucid than Tesla right now. At least a decent sized percentage of the buying public does not potentially have an axe to grind with Lucid leadership…

 

[hydbob]

Volvo opened orders almost 2 years before the EX90, Ford was 2 years before the F150 Electric, Polestar? Same deal. Tesla? How’s the Roadster coming along?!?

So Lucid opens orders 11/7/2024, ships the first production line vehicles end of December 2024, has shipped over 100 so far and is on track for volume

I believe you are wrong about shipping 100 Gravity, but comparing to other manufacturers I understand, but Volvo was very clear about their delays the entire time.