TLDR Summary
For frequent readers of the forum, I am part of the group that has had very few issues with my 2023 AT. The main things it needed after the original due bill were seat rehoming, replace front door sealing, and replace frunk sealing. That said, the car has been reliable and an amazing car to drive for the past three years. I am accustomed to some workarounds that don’t bother me a lot: the occasional Spotify glitch, entering map destinations in the car rather than the app, infrequently having to restore my seat position, and the need for manual lane centering. None of this bothers me too much (anymore). But the main selling points in 2023 have held up: relatively good efficiency, fantastic interior space, great design, and superb driving experience.
Stats
I have almost always fast-charged and after seeing how minimal the degradation has been, I don’t regret it. I have almost exclusively used free EA charging and while the first year was pretty rough, with a typical 30-minute wait, the last two years have gotten much, much better. There is often no wait or a one or two-minute wait. Worst case, I have to wait10 minutes. I learned the trick of checking Google Maps for which hours are the best at which stations.
While I almost always charged at a 350kw station, it still takes a good 30-35 minutes to go from 20-80%. I hoped that Lucid would have worked on the charging curve to improve total charging time, I think it’s safe to say that it won’t happen at this point, at least not for the 2022-23 model years.
Now that the three-year free Electrify America perk is done, I plan to switch to daily 40-60% on my newly installed Lucid Connected Home Charging System (LCHCS).
Range and efficiency
While the range and efficiency are pretty good, they aren’t quite the spectacular numbers I was expecting. But my ability to drive back and forth to LAX from Orange County without worrying about battery charge was a new experience and I continue to appreciate the 3.7 lifetime efficiency and the 400+ range, which I can very occasionally reach driving on the highway with occasional traffic slowdowns
Interior Space
I had to pick up and drop off family at LAX last year. I assumed I would need our Model X because they were bringing six suitcases. Four passengers and six suitcases barely fit in the Model X, but the Lucid Air was nearly as good, fitting everything by using the frunk, trunk and one rear set.
Also, I rarely get to sit in a rear seat, but the combination of the interior spaciousness combined with the glass-roof view is a special treat. I think there is a downside on hot days to the glass roof, but the shades help a bit. If I had to do it over again, I would prefer the metal roof.
Driving Experience
For every little annoyance, the overall driving experience has been extraordinary from day one. Visibility, except for the A-pillar, is great all around. The rear window, because it’s so wide, means that I prefer the rear-view mirror to use of rear cameras for driving purposes (although not for backup). I keep the car in Smooth 99.5% of the time, because it already has fantastic acceleration and I have never, never tried “Sprint,” although some day…
The ADAS follows traffic really well and slows down to a stop gracefully, as opposed to Tesla’s overly aggressive, teenage-boy, just-learned-how-to-drive, make-sure-no-one-cuts-in style. Yeah, I know all about setting the distance in both cars, but it’s how it follows a lead car to a stop that I prefer in the Lucid, and I have had loaners with more recent model years, so it’s not just my legacy Model X that I’m talking about.
The lack of lane centering is an annoyance, but a light touch on the steering wheel is a sufficient poor man’s replacement for it and I have learned to just relax and enjoy rather than being an angry consumer.
I have DD Premium, which I constantly use for the surround view cameras when parking. I prefer the yellow warning light on the side-view mirrors to the somewhat grainy video of the blind-spot monitors, but my wife chides me for not using them, so YMMV.
The AT is my wife’s daily driver, but, as her chauffeur, I love, love, love how the car drives. I put on my tunes with only basic SS, but with the quietness of the cabin, and because I’m not an audiophile, I just shuffle my main playlist and enjoy the ride.
UI and Software
I’ve only had UX 2 since delivery and it has been fine. I have adjusted to all of its remaining quirks and limitations, like the fact that the apps can’t independently run on either screen. I’ll probably get the upgrade to CCV2 when UX3 is available on the Air, because I would like to have Halo and flexibility running apps.
I finally switched from Android to iOS because I got tired of the interminable wait for Android Auto. I use CarPlay whenever the directions are going to be complicated, sacrificing screen size and the turn-by-turn view of running Lucid Nav on the Pilot screen, but CarPlay is so much better at giving directions at the right time and doesn’t have so many issues with hallucinations, like sending me to Mexico when I want to arrive at LAX. For simple directions, I prefer the native navigation because the view is so expansive.
Overall, I think the UI is pretty uncluttered and my most frequently used climate controls have physical buttons. I have also learned to love the left-hand screen options for wiper control, charge port opening/closing, etc… It did take me a long time not to have to think about it, but now it’s second nature to find everything quickly and intuitively.
Both my Model X and the Lucid Air have large, vertical screens, which I think forces you to look down too much to access controls. And all Teslas have bad, cluttered UIs, the downside of greater software capability, so I prefer the Lucid’s UI, even with the vertical screen.
Profile switching is clearly an issue, but because my legacy Model X is far worse at it, I don’t mind having the issue maybe once every week or two.
Hey, Lucid
Ummm. It sucks? I am waiting for the new AI per this video.
Service
I have been very happy with service, including mobile service for the sealing issues. I once had to go to Enterprise for a Lucid loaner, but otherwise always got a decent loaner. I have found Customer Service to be responsive, even if occasionally responding on the slow side for nonemergency items. The Costa Mesa service center is great. I once brought it in with complaints about the fan not blowing and the connection on the charger resulting in the dread “red light” at EA. But the second item turned out to be problems with EA rather than Lucid and the first one was a combination of the somewhat underpowered fan system and an issue I couldn’t replicate. But there was no charge and the service staff was completely understanding.
Report Card
For frequent readers of the forum, I am part of the group that has had very few issues with my 2023 AT. The main things it needed after the original due bill were seat rehoming, replace front door sealing, and replace frunk sealing. That said, the car has been reliable and an amazing car to drive for the past three years. I am accustomed to some workarounds that don’t bother me a lot: the occasional Spotify glitch, entering map destinations in the car rather than the app, infrequently having to restore my seat position, and the need for manual lane centering. None of this bothers me too much (anymore). But the main selling points in 2023 have held up: relatively good efficiency, fantastic interior space, great design, and superb driving experience.
Stats
- Model: 2023 Air Touring with SS basic, DD Premium (has hardware for DDPro), glass roof
- Mileage: 21,200
- Original EPA range: 425
- Original 100%: 445 (not actual)
- Current 100%: 420.2 as measured using data from https://www.testmycode.cc with remaining_range * 5/8 / charge_percent.
- Current 100% as measured by app 334 / 0.8 = 417.5
- Battery_health: 96.0% (!) with 95% DC high-speed charging!
- Degradation in range using Original 100% versus current 100%: 420.2 / 445 = 94.4%
- Degradation in capacity_kwh: 86.9/92 (kwh) = 94.45
- Lifetime efficiency: 3.7 miles/kwh
I have almost always fast-charged and after seeing how minimal the degradation has been, I don’t regret it. I have almost exclusively used free EA charging and while the first year was pretty rough, with a typical 30-minute wait, the last two years have gotten much, much better. There is often no wait or a one or two-minute wait. Worst case, I have to wait10 minutes. I learned the trick of checking Google Maps for which hours are the best at which stations.
While I almost always charged at a 350kw station, it still takes a good 30-35 minutes to go from 20-80%. I hoped that Lucid would have worked on the charging curve to improve total charging time, I think it’s safe to say that it won’t happen at this point, at least not for the 2022-23 model years.
Now that the three-year free Electrify America perk is done, I plan to switch to daily 40-60% on my newly installed Lucid Connected Home Charging System (LCHCS).
Range and efficiency
While the range and efficiency are pretty good, they aren’t quite the spectacular numbers I was expecting. But my ability to drive back and forth to LAX from Orange County without worrying about battery charge was a new experience and I continue to appreciate the 3.7 lifetime efficiency and the 400+ range, which I can very occasionally reach driving on the highway with occasional traffic slowdowns
Interior Space
I had to pick up and drop off family at LAX last year. I assumed I would need our Model X because they were bringing six suitcases. Four passengers and six suitcases barely fit in the Model X, but the Lucid Air was nearly as good, fitting everything by using the frunk, trunk and one rear set.
Also, I rarely get to sit in a rear seat, but the combination of the interior spaciousness combined with the glass-roof view is a special treat. I think there is a downside on hot days to the glass roof, but the shades help a bit. If I had to do it over again, I would prefer the metal roof.
Driving Experience
For every little annoyance, the overall driving experience has been extraordinary from day one. Visibility, except for the A-pillar, is great all around. The rear window, because it’s so wide, means that I prefer the rear-view mirror to use of rear cameras for driving purposes (although not for backup). I keep the car in Smooth 99.5% of the time, because it already has fantastic acceleration and I have never, never tried “Sprint,” although some day…
The ADAS follows traffic really well and slows down to a stop gracefully, as opposed to Tesla’s overly aggressive, teenage-boy, just-learned-how-to-drive, make-sure-no-one-cuts-in style. Yeah, I know all about setting the distance in both cars, but it’s how it follows a lead car to a stop that I prefer in the Lucid, and I have had loaners with more recent model years, so it’s not just my legacy Model X that I’m talking about.
The lack of lane centering is an annoyance, but a light touch on the steering wheel is a sufficient poor man’s replacement for it and I have learned to just relax and enjoy rather than being an angry consumer.
I have DD Premium, which I constantly use for the surround view cameras when parking. I prefer the yellow warning light on the side-view mirrors to the somewhat grainy video of the blind-spot monitors, but my wife chides me for not using them, so YMMV.
The AT is my wife’s daily driver, but, as her chauffeur, I love, love, love how the car drives. I put on my tunes with only basic SS, but with the quietness of the cabin, and because I’m not an audiophile, I just shuffle my main playlist and enjoy the ride.
UI and Software
I’ve only had UX 2 since delivery and it has been fine. I have adjusted to all of its remaining quirks and limitations, like the fact that the apps can’t independently run on either screen. I’ll probably get the upgrade to CCV2 when UX3 is available on the Air, because I would like to have Halo and flexibility running apps.
I finally switched from Android to iOS because I got tired of the interminable wait for Android Auto. I use CarPlay whenever the directions are going to be complicated, sacrificing screen size and the turn-by-turn view of running Lucid Nav on the Pilot screen, but CarPlay is so much better at giving directions at the right time and doesn’t have so many issues with hallucinations, like sending me to Mexico when I want to arrive at LAX. For simple directions, I prefer the native navigation because the view is so expansive.
Overall, I think the UI is pretty uncluttered and my most frequently used climate controls have physical buttons. I have also learned to love the left-hand screen options for wiper control, charge port opening/closing, etc… It did take me a long time not to have to think about it, but now it’s second nature to find everything quickly and intuitively.
Both my Model X and the Lucid Air have large, vertical screens, which I think forces you to look down too much to access controls. And all Teslas have bad, cluttered UIs, the downside of greater software capability, so I prefer the Lucid’s UI, even with the vertical screen.
Profile switching is clearly an issue, but because my legacy Model X is far worse at it, I don’t mind having the issue maybe once every week or two.
Hey, Lucid
Ummm. It sucks? I am waiting for the new AI per this video.
Service
I have been very happy with service, including mobile service for the sealing issues. I once had to go to Enterprise for a Lucid loaner, but otherwise always got a decent loaner. I have found Customer Service to be responsive, even if occasionally responding on the slow side for nonemergency items. The Costa Mesa service center is great. I once brought it in with complaints about the fan not blowing and the connection on the charger resulting in the dread “red light” at EA. But the second item turned out to be problems with EA rather than Lucid and the first one was a combination of the somewhat underpowered fan system and an issue I couldn’t replicate. But there was no charge and the service staff was completely understanding.
Report Card
- Driving: A+. Stellar acceleration, ride quality, and handling.
- Charging: B. Needs an improved charging curve. Needs V2H.
- Range: A
- Efficiency: A-. Among the best out there, even after three years, but expectations for 4+ mi/kwh were high.
- Interior: A
- UI: B+.
- Software: C. Hey, Lucid drags the score down.
- Service: A. YMMV. This is my own personal experience. Time for my second annual service, so this could change.
