Unhappy with the car?

[sansonoma]

I agree here for the most part. Unfortunately, it appears the mapping for HA is better in CA than in parts of TX. My HA experience has been less than stellar. However, that doesn't really bother me since it's technically more of an alpha or perhaps beta than a full fledged ADAS. It's certainly better than Tesla when it comes to phantom breaking. But it's poor at lane centering. I'll post a video so folks can understand what I'm talking about. I have faith that future updates will address those issues. I also wish it wasn't so "vision" dependent on speed limit changes - there are a few different signs it "always" misses when the speed limit changes. It'd also be nice if it would pre-predict the speed limit change she you can slow down or speed up coming into those changes instead of being more reactionary. This would help a lot more on the speed reduction - I can see myself being pulled over when slowing from 60 to 45 when I use the "automated" speed reduction. Also, if you aren't using HA - the lane centering grabs the wheel a bit too hard for my liking when it thinks you're too close to the line. I'd really like them to relax that a bit because it almost forces you to be erratic when trying to take over.

On a surprising bright note - the performance difference between the AT and the AGT is so minimal it's almost imperceptible. And you benefit from more room in the rear and a better seating position for passengers. I had a theory that the 0-60 times were much faster than stated. Lucid says 3.4 for the AT, all the tests I've seen put it somewhere between 3.0 and 3.1.

I wish the range were better but having taken delivery in December I haven't seen a day yet when the temperatures were high enough to give me more of a "normal" range situation where temp or weather doesn't have an adverse impact.
Overall - this is a "drivers" car. It's fast and confident - perhaps a bit too fast.

Thanks...I am curious about HA. For me, whenever I first engage it, it "hunts" for the center of the lane by gradually going from one side of the lane and then to the other. This lasts for 30 seconds or so, and then it is nailed down the center for my three-hour drive down I-5. I just keep my hand ready on the wheel while it is hunting and then just rest my hand in a crick in the wheel for the rest of the way. My Tesla, at least one per trip, would do a hard phantom brake. Love the Lucid. It's placid.

 

[xponents]

I haven't outgrown my teenage obsession with acceleration stats for cars, but what you say is dead on. There are really very few instances in driving on public roads where power differences are going to make much difference -- at least in the ranges of power in which any of the Lucid dual-motor cars play.

I've owned a lot of high-powered cars, and the meaningful differences in power delivery are felt more in the "liveliness" of the cars' responses in making quick speed adjustments. However, the instant torque delivery of electric motors levels the field a bit so that you get that same sense of liveliness even in less powerful EVs.




In the marketing run-up to the car's release, Lucid talked constantly of its "LEAP" power platform and invariably showed visuals of that platform with the deep rear seat wells -- even using that image when the text talked of the 500-mile range. The most crushing disappointment during our long wait for the car was when I finally got confirmation that the Dream Edition would not have those deep footwells. I've sat in the car with the smaller battery pack, and the difference in rear seating comfort really is pronounced. The fore-aft legroom in the Dream and GT really is amazing, but that relaxing of the knee angle with the deeper footwells puts the rear quarters squarely in MB S Class and BMW 7 Series territory.

A recurring daydream is that Lucid is eventually able to open up that rear floor well for all its models, either through power density improvement in batteries or through placement of those four modules elsewhere. I've even wondered if two could be mounted vertically behind the rear seats with the other two put in a platform on which reconfigured front seats sit (sort of like the platform on which the rear seats sit). The packs are only about 3" deep, so could the bottom of the front seats be redesigned to reduce their depth enough while retaining their comfort and adjustment functions? I know this is far-fetched but, hey . . . it's a daydream.

Most likely an increase in battery density. The platform is already packed. Could you elaborate on the deep floorwells vs s class? Genuinely want to know how similar they are.

 

[MikeTz]

So true. The only rivals for it in terms of silky delivery of prodigious power are a Tesla Model S or the Porsche/Audi EV sports sedans.

But the Lucid trounces the Model S in terms of handling, roominess, comfort, luxury features, build quality, and range.

And it trounces the Porsche/Audi products in terms of roominess and range, while giving them a run for the money in handling. (I have not driven them myself, so have to rely on reviewers regarding the handling. We do own a Model S Plaid, though.)

I did own a Taycan 4S and an MS Plaid and I agree with your view on both. Reliability and availability was much better on these two cars but the decision to hold on to our DEP makes it the better car choice for us. BTW... we did get a recall for the Taycan 4S today, so maybe the statement that it was more reliable may no longer be valid.

 

[thecodingart]

They need CarPlay, but this is the next best EV to the Taycan IMO, and both have crummy software.

Also, I’ve never experienced an ICE vehicle I liked more than an EV so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Ybor]

Nobody is forcing you to buy any subscription.

We are 'forced' only in the sense that if you want to have voice command over internet searches and (theoretically) your text messages, you have to have Amazon Prime. Of course, they don't actually function but that was the promise. If you don't buy the Amazon Prime subscription, you can't even get a promise of either of those functions, that have become pretty standard in most luxury cars.

 

[Ybor]

They need CarPlay, but this is the next best EV to the Taycan IMO, and both have crummy software.

Also, I’ve never experienced an ICE vehicle I liked more than an EV so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My partner has an Audi etron gt with APC that works impeccably. It's a different kind of car than a Lucid of course focused on incredible performance and style more than comfort, but it just reminds you of what is possible, and makes me wonder why that is not at least an option for Lucid

 

[thecodingart]

My partner has an Audi etron gt with APC that works impeccably. It's a different kind of car than a Lucid of course focused on incredible performance and style more than comfort, but it just reminds you of what is possible, and makes me wonder why that is not at least an option for Lucid

Oh definitely, BMW and Mercedes are light years ahead on the software side as well. It's definitely obviously what "could" be given the right talent, money, and time.

 

[borski]

We are 'forced' only in the sense that if you want to have voice command over internet searches and (theoretically) your text messages, you have to have Amazon Prime. Of course, they don't actually function but that was the promise. If you don't buy the Amazon Prime subscription, you can't even get a promise of either of those functions, that have become pretty standard in most luxury cars.

What? You need an Amazon account, yes, but Alexa works fine without Amazon Prime. An Amazon account is free.

 

[Steveinarizona]

On a surprising bright note - the performance difference between the AT and the AGT is so minimal it's almost imperceptible. And you benefit from more room in the rear and a better seating position for passengers. I had a theory that the 0-60 times were much faster than stated. Lucid says 3.4 for the AT, all the tests I've seen put it somewhere between 3.0 and 3.1.

I think there are very few drivers who need that much HP/Torque. Each owner/potential owner needs to figure out her driving style and how a particular car fits into it. If driving super fast away from a stop light is your thing...then 0-60. If passing on a hill driving 75 mph is your thing, then you need a car that retains its HP/Torque at that speed (many EVs fade out near there). If your desire is to cruise down the street and let others admire your beautiful build, then HP/Torque are totally unnecessary.

Weight, of course is important but as Lucid is proving, weight down low can be handled (although Colin Chapman would probably disagree). Once one determines what is important, then one should check out the car. My personal view, for my driving, is that I won't be tracking the car and I want to be able to comfortably pass another vehicle traveling up a steep hill at 60 mph and do so before I get to the top of the hill.

 

[austinlucid]

As someone on the "this is by far the best and most exciting car I've ever owned" side, thought I'd add my 2c on some reasons why I think that:

1. First, don't want to discount anyone's experiences who've had real problematic issues with their car, e.g. it never charging at EA stations or people who got the "turtle of doom". I would say, though, that these issues happening to a (relatively) small number of people point to somewhat unavoidable consistency issues with a new car brand, and something that should improve if/when Lucid grows. I'd definitely be just as pissed if these issues happened to me, but I don't think they point to some overall deficiency with Lucid as a car company.
2. One of the things that made me the most hopeful/excited about Lucid's rate of progress is when I went from the 1.x to the 2.x version of the software. 1.x was consistently buggy with some rather weird bugs (e.g. making a change on a driver's side component in the UI would effect a change on the passenger side). After the 2.x upgrade, though, the software was much more stable and performant. It's far from perfect, but, at least for me, the issues went from semi-daily WTFs to infrequent, minor annoyances. Since then I've been happy to see nice, useful updates on a regular basis. Basically, since the 2.x upgrade, I don't see any "fatal flaws", just some more minor issues that I'm confident will improve over time.
3. I certainly understand why all the Apple users out there are clamoring for CarPlay, and, especially in the US, given the price of a Lucid and the newest iPhone, there is of course going to be an overlap between iPhone users and Lucid owners. As an Android/Pixel owner for some time, though, I am going to stick up for Lucid's UI design in general. I think they largely made great decisions, for example, with the right balance between physical controls (e.g. volume, forward/back/stop/play, and temperature controls) and what's on the touch screen, vs. other companies who put too much only in the touch screen. I also love how the interaction works between the Cockpit Display and the Pilot Panel. It's certainly not perfect (I've previously commented on the issues with Homelink vs. the backup camera), but I think it's damn good. My point is, I get the strong feeling when CarPlay folks say "the Lucid UI is horrible" or whatever, that they feel this way more due to the fact that CarPlay is the UI they're familiar with. For example, my partner has an iPhone, and I hate using it - whenever I use it I always wonder "where did Apple go so off the rails for their famous 'it just works' philosophy?" I say this because there is so much functionality in an iPhone that is hidden behind "you just gotta known" swipes and gestures, and if you're not used to it, it's frustrating. But I can certainly see how one could become very comfortable with it once they learned all these hidden gestures - the reason I don't like it is primarily one of just being used to it. Given how much I enjoy the overall design of the Lucid UI (and this is in sharp contrast to the vast majority of other custom infotainment systems I've used in other cars), I think that something similar is in play here as well.