Why did you decide for the Lucid Air vs. Model S, EQS, i7, Taycan, ...?

[Grnr92663]

When I entered the EV space 10 years ago, the Tesla Model S basically was the only option worth considering as an ICE replacement for travel and family. As a result, the Model S was overloaded with expectation, it had to be everything to everybody. I still think that the Model S struck a great compromise -- lots of room and performance, great accessibility thanks to the hatch, with creature comfort, range and build quality ranging between acceptable and good -- but the criticism was manifold: It was too big, too small, to heavy, missing a tow bar, lacking certain luxury/convenience features and, for many, too expensive all at the same time.

Fast forward 10 years. Now there is a some choice in every EV market segment, and even in the niche electric / luxury / sedan segment, there are a number of impressive options. When I talk to people about why they chose their EV model, the most frequent answer I get is "it was the best option for my budget". Given that you are in the market for a Lucid Air, I assume that budget wasn't the primary driver of your decision. What exactly made you choose the Air over the obvious alternatives Model S (plaid), EQS, i7 or Taycan?

For our family (currently owning a Tesla), after trying & testing out various EVs, we picked Lucid for the following reasons:

- Range
- Power & handing
- Look & feel
- Space
- V2G capability ( we would have to spend at least $30K on home-ESS to get to what Lucid eventually offers)

All other EVs offer one or two of the list above, but only Lucid matches all of our requirements.

 

[Sandvinsd]

Range, range and range. Tesla was the only one with a decent range To replace an ICE for trips, but even that was not enough. Was looking for 500 miles /1000 km. Would I have purchased a Tesla if they came out with that? Perhaps, but not a fan for the spartan interior and low QC. Definitely NOT if it had the yoke. Lucid is the only one that fits my range criteria And has other benefits.

 

[hmp10]

My biggest concern with Lucid is survival. The production issues are becoming a bit of a joke to a point that as soon as they get momentum they seem to stop again due to some QA issue. Lucid's management aren't new to the automotive industry and should be better than this.

Believe me, I know from personal experience how frustrating the wait can be. However, many EV manufacturers are plagued by the same problems.

I reserved a Rivian R1S in February 2019 that was supposed to be produced in Fall 2020. I am still waiting to get the first contact from my "Rivian guide" that had been promised to happen by last Thanksgiving. Rivian sent me an email in January saying my estimated delivery date would by May/June. I've heard nothing more, and two emails to Rivian have gone unanswered.

Mercedes has been getting dealer premiums of up to $50,000 because of the scarcity of the EQS.

Tesla's website is currently showing an 8-10 month wait for a Model Y. People who put down $50-250K deposits for the Roadster in 2017 that was supposed to enter production in 2020 still have no idea when they'll get their cars.

A friend has been trying for months to find an Ioniq 5 that he can test drive, to no avail.

The Nissan Ariya has been delayed almost two years.

Of all these companies, Lucid was the only one that had to build a factory from the ground up before starting production. It took Rivian longer to refit the existing Mitsubishi plant it bought in Illinois than it took Lucid to build and outfit its Casa Grande factory.

Given that Lucid launched production of a completely new car during the worst supply chain disruptions in decades, I'm a bit slower to take management to task for supposed failures.

 

[BradSholl]

The Air seemed the perfect replacement for our Audi A8. Stylish, roomy and great range, while still retaining the ability for “spirited” driving. This will be my first EV, but I feel the infrastructure has finally improved to the point I won’t have to take a Xanax before setting off on a long trip. I originally planned on ordering a Pure, but the earlier availability and features of the GT sucked me in.

 

[GEWC]

Range, range, range and comfort. I loved my first EV, a 2013 i3, and anxiously awaited BMWs next car in that space as it was just too small to do much, but they took too long. I had a reservation for a Model X, but then decided against as I didn't like those doors. I then got a Model S in 2016 and it suited what I needed as a daily car with space for my family even if the seat belt drove me mad. Then we moved up to the Bay Area where the roads aren't as nice and smooth as in San Diego county. The lack of comfort and noise of the car became a huge annoyance. It feels like a cheap car about to fall apart. I researched new EVs coming out at least once a month. I had early reservations for the Rivian R1S & the Lucid and added the BMX iX when it opened up. The Taycan never made it to the list because of range, though I did watch for the i4 specs with hope. I was excited when I heard about the EQS because of the range but once they showed the interior, it wasn't even an option. I am not someone who wants screens all over the car. The Lucid ended up being exactly what I needed and wanted, with the plus of being a stunning car and super fun to drive.

 

[Thehack]

Like most, Range, Luxury for me.
Model S was too plain inside and out. No Style.
Taycan had too low range
EQS was close, but after that 50K price hike I saw on the forum... I was like FORGET IT.
Rivian was waiting on R1S, and after I saw the battery pack and efficiency... not worth the wait, and not worth the charge time for the range.
Honestly anything else was just not a 'creature comfort' type vehicle either.

The Vehicle to Grid was an added bonus that I look forward to implementing as well.

 

[DeaneG]

We have a Tesla Model 3, and didn't want to replace it with another rough riding, noisy, uncomfortable Tesla that is missing amenities like blind spot warning in side mirrors, auto rear cross-traffic/pedestrian braking, and 360-degree parking cameras. We have a small XC40 EV-SUV that is just wonderful by comparison, though it only has about 200 miles range and so can't reach some national parks in the boonies.

Range is foremost and thus the Air GT. You can tell when sitting in the Air that you are driving a giant battery in an aero enclosure, as the floor seems high and the roof low. But it's a beautiful enclosure. The Air's current rareness is also nice. By contrast I've seen three white Model 3's identical to mine at a stoplight alongside several other Teslas of different colors.

 

[LuciPearl]

For about 4 years now we've been wanting an EV. As current S Class owners we wanted luxury. Tesla just hasn't gotten to the level of luxury we wanted, so we decided to wait. And wait we have as Tesla still isn't quite to our minimum requirements for a luxury vehicle.

As Texas residents we lived through the freeze of last year...7 days of rolling blackouts...getting power 5-6 hours a day. After that it was time to buy a home generator. As I researched that I discovered b-directional charging. It was a thing of the near future last year, and still is this year as evidenced by no Lucid Charger (or any USA charger) yet. So my thinking was why get a generator when any EV will have about 100kWh...enough to run the air conditioned house for 2-3 days on the hottest summer days/nights and 6-8 winter days. It just made no sense to have all that power sitting in the garage when it could be used to back up the house. So we decided to wait for a luxury EV with bi-directional charging.

I found Mercedes, Audi/Porsche and Lucid to be at the forefront in the luxury EV with bi-directional charging research ongoing. Having been in the medical device industry and involved in the development of standards I figured all three of these companies would get to this market at about the same time....after the standards are finalized. So it was now a waiting game.

As a start-up Lucid comes off the list...will it survive...will it mimic Tesla production problems..etc. Porsche vehicles came off the list, back seat (where my wife sits) too small, range was barely acceptable. Audi/Porsche progress on bi-directional charging seemed slow, advancements in the e-Tron improvements seemed too slow, cross them off the list. That left old friend Mercedes, nearby dealer that we liked, a very interesting concept vehicle, no future fit and finish concerns a legacy company should bring....the EQS in Japan would be bi-directional, this was the easy choice. Went and put a deposit on it to be first in line...turns out I was 17th in line.

Then we saw the EQS reveal....exterior rather bland. Wow, look at that hyperscreen. Beautiful interior. I guess bland exterior isn't that bad....no one will notice it which is good....and I drive from the inside of the car...I see the inside. OK, bring on the bland exterior that pales in comparison to the stately S Class.

Then we saw it live. That's a small backseat for headroom. A hatchback? No frunk? The hyperscreen and all the bling lighting, isn't that a little excessive? What, these cars aren't being initially ready for bi-directional charging once standards are in place? What? You are kidding me. The EQS has bi-directional in Japan (CHADemMo standard in place and the dominant EV charger in Japan), why not have this EQS bi-directional ready? They must not be able to do that at this point in time...they are not as advanced I thought they should be...or maybe they wanted to keep the price down....whatever the reason, in my case, this was a mistake. This is not the future EV. Bye current EQS because I don't want to move to Japan.

Circle back to Lucid. It checks every box except being a legacy company. The luxury is still there but in a simple refined way. The range is unsurpassed. Sure the exterior will draw attention and lead to people bothering me with questions, but it is a beautiful exterior. [The nose reminds of my 1984 Supra that I had for the longest time, loved that car inside and out]. All the space with the trunk and frunk. Inside this thing is at least as big as the current S Class...and the smaller exterior means easy parking. And the immediate bi-directional charging once a standard is in place, music to my ears. Can I live with the problems of a start up? When this is the final product, yes. I expect fit and finish problems, I expect software problems, I pray the startup related problems will be minimal.

Placed the order in March (GT, Black, Mojave, 21"), modified order to 19" in April, awaiting VIN. Was initially told delivery in 2-4 months, I remain hopeful for late July, and I expect August/September. Bi-directional charging won't be here until 1Q2023...that's my guess regardless of what Lucid says. But when it gets here, this car is ready for it.

I believe that as EVs become the vehicle of choice, electricity prices will rise for everyone. Too much demand, too little supply. So we decided to add solar with whole home battery backup (30kWh) to handle those intermittent outages and when the Air GT batteries on the road rather than in the garage. That system should be installed before the Air arrives. We may never have another Texas freeze like we did last year, but if we do we'll be ready.

 

[Patrick L]

Value.

Air Pure is $11K dearer than Lexus NX PHEV. I feel like I'm getting more incremental value than the cost with Pure, i.e. more room, more usable performance, less carbon footprint, and more drive train simplicity. Also, local Lexus dealers wanted to charge up to $6k to let me put in a factory order. They up-priced themselves into a different class of vehicles and got out-competed.

In addition, Air Pure is priced $20K lower than Tesla S. I feel like I'll be paying for features and performance I don't need with S, i.e. AWD, faster 0-60, a steering wheel designed by Gran Turismo 7 enthusiasts. In general, Air is just a more elegant design to my eyes and exceeds my functional requirements where they matter.

It was an easy choice.

 

[Bus Driver]

Honestly, it was the exclusivity. Tesla's are like Civics these days.... a dime a dozen. I wanted something different...something rare.

The Tesla Model Y has become the Corolla of Southern California.

 

[Thehack]

Value.

Air Pure is $11K dearer than Lexus NX PHEV. I feel like I'm getting more incremental value than the cost with Pure, i.e. more room, more usable performance, less carbon footprint, and more drive train simplicity. Also, local Lexus dealers wanted to charge up to $6k to let me put in a factory order. They up-priced themselves into a different class of vehicles and got out-competed.

In addition, Air Pure is priced $20K lower than Tesla S. I feel like I'll be paying for features and performance I don't need with S, i.e. AWD, faster 0-60, a steering wheel designed by Gran Turismo 7 enthusiasts. In general, Air is just a more elegant design to my eyes and exceeds my functional requirements where they matter.

It was an easy choice.

And that's no yoke!

 

[NPN]

When I entered the EV space 10 years ago, the Tesla Model S basically was the only option worth considering as an ICE replacement for travel and family. As a result, the Model S was overloaded with expectation, it had to be everything to everybody. I still think that the Model S struck a great compromise -- lots of room and performance, great accessibility thanks to the hatch, with creature comfort, range and build quality ranging between acceptable and good -- but the criticism was manifold: It was too big, too small, to heavy, missing a tow bar, lacking certain luxury/convenience features and, for many, too expensive all at the same time.

Fast forward 10 years. Now there is a some choice in every EV market segment, and even in the niche electric / luxury / sedan segment, there are a number of impressive options. When I talk to people about why they chose their EV model, the most frequent answer I get is "it was the best option for my budget". Given that you are in the market for a Lucid Air, I assume that budget wasn't the primary driver of your decision. What exactly made you choose the Air over the obvious alternatives Model S (plaid), EQS, i7 or Taycan?

RANGE RANGE RANGE

 

[Disco Marathon]

I have a 2020 MS LR+ and after test driving the Lucid Air two weeks ago (test drove a production AGT, not a preprod), I am 99% sure I am going to cancel the order even though it means leaving $1k on the table. I have a family of 4, with a 4.5 year old and 6 year old, and this is our only car. After test driving the Air, I agree with many in this forum that the Air is a smoother ride, has a quieter and fancier cabin, and would get better range. But.....

(before anyone starts aggressively counter-posting, please note that many of these are personal preferences. I am not hating on Lucid as a company, or the Air as a car, or anyone in this forum for having different opinions. I haven't even canceled the order, yet. This post is only about why my family is choosing to keep the 2020 MS, right now).

1. Trunk vs hatchback. After seeing the Lucid Air in person I was surprised at the trunk height. Where we are in life right now, with hauling kids and their stuff and doing manual labor on our house and yard, the Air trunk is too short and the MS hatchback is way better.

2. Bikes/skis. We have an aftermarket trailer hitch on the MS, which we use to carry bikes and skis. The company that makes that hitch has no plans to make one for the Air. The solution for the Air will be a roof rack, but availability of that roof rack is TBD.

3. Lucid Air mirrors always auto-open on unlock. Until that gets fixed with a software update, I'd have to cut a hole in my garage wall because the passenger side of the car is right up against the wall. There's a whole separate thread in this forum, on this topic. As noted in that thread, the only car I have is an MS and I know this is a feature on the MS (mirrors will stay folded if you want them to, until a certain speed). I do not know how many other cars have this feature. I only know that the MS has this feature now, and after giving it some serious thought I don't want to cut a hole in my garage wall to buy a $140k car.

4. Range. Until EA has a better network, or Tesla opens up its supercharger network, I think a road trip with the Air will be more complicated than the Tesla. Also, from what I've read in this forum, Lucid's nav is not great and most folks use a third-party route planner. I like Tesla's nav and have not had any problems with finding available Tesla superchargers here in the NorthEast. I understand this is very different for folks in other parts of the country.

5. Autopilot. I really like Autopilot on long highway drives, especially in traffic. I have not had any issues with Autopilot on the highway (although FSD regularly tries to kill me when driving in the city). We drive to the shore a lot, and in that last stretch there is often bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go traffic. Autopilot really shines there, and makes that more enjoyable. Lucid will have this too, at some point. But not right now.

6. Other software issues/TBD features. After reading about software issues in this forum, and experiencing some myself on the test drive, there are too many software problems/too man features are missing for this to be our only daily driver. For example, on the test drive, the delay between activating the turn signal, and the blind spot camera appearing in the dashboard, was noticeable and I did not like it. Also, there is no way to keep the cameras on while you drive. I use this feature a lot while driving with the bikes on the bike rack. Tesla has its software issues, too. For example, the MS doesn't always auto present the door handles, and Murphy's law dictates that happens when I'm carrying something with two hands, have only a free pinky to grab the door handle, and its pouring rain and now have to figure out how to fish the fob out of my pocket.

I'm not sure which I would choose if I didn't have a 2020 MS because I really like the steering wheel, the vertical screen, the manual air vents and other controls. From what I've read and seen with the new MS, I think I wouldn't like the yoke, horizontal screen, and digital air vents and other controls.

Take this FWIW and note that this could change. Maybe in a few years we don't bring as much bulky stuff on vacation, and there's a roof rack for the Air, and the mirrors stay folded, and there's a better network of chargers, and Lucid had made some major SW improvements.

But for now, the quieter/smoother ride and fancier cabin of the Air aren't enough to make us give up the 2020 MS (and we can't keep both).

Best of luck!

 

[Bunnylebowski]

I have a 2020 MS LR+ and after test driving the Lucid Air two weeks ago (test drove a production AGT, not a preprod), I am 99% sure I am going to cancel the order even though it means leaving $1k on the table. I have a family of 4, with a 4.5 year old and 6 year old, and this is our only car. After test driving the Air, I agree with many in this forum that the Air is a smoother ride, has a quieter and fancier cabin, and would get better range. But.....

(before anyone starts aggressively counter-posting, please note that many of these are personal preferences. I am not hating on Lucid as a company, or the Air as a car, or anyone in this forum for having different opinions. I haven't even canceled the order, yet. This post is only about why my family is choosing to keep the 2020 MS, right now).

1. Trunk vs hatchback. After seeing the Lucid Air in person I was surprised at the trunk height. Where we are in life right now, with hauling kids and their stuff and doing manual labor on our house and yard, the Air trunk is too short and the MS hatchback is way better.

2. Bikes/skis. We have an aftermarket trailer hitch on the MS, which we use to carry bikes and skis. The company that makes that hitch has no plans to make one for the Air. The solution for the Air will be a roof rack, but availability of that roof rack is TBD.

3. Lucid Air mirrors always auto-open on unlock. Until that gets fixed with a software update, I'd have to cut a hole in my garage wall because the passenger side of the car is right up against the wall. There's a whole separate thread in this forum, on this topic. As noted in that thread, the only car I have is an MS and I know this is a feature on the MS (mirrors will stay folded if you want them to, until a certain speed). I do not know how many other cars have this feature. I only know that the MS has this feature now, and after giving it some serious thought I don't want to cut a hole in my garage wall to buy a $140k car.

4. Range. Until EA has a better network, or Tesla opens up its supercharger network, I think a road trip with the Air will be more complicated than the Tesla. Also, from what I've read in this forum, Lucid's nav is not great and most folks use a third-party route planner. I like Tesla's nav and have not had any problems with finding available Tesla superchargers here in the NorthEast. I understand this is very different for folks in other parts of the country.

5. Autopilot. I really like Autopilot on long highway drives, especially in traffic. I have not had any issues with Autopilot on the highway (although FSD regularly tries to kill me when driving in the city). We drive to the shore a lot, and in that last stretch there is often bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go traffic. Autopilot really shines there, and makes that more enjoyable. Lucid will have this too, at some point. But not right now.

6. Other software issues/TBD features. After reading about software issues in this forum, and experiencing some myself on the test drive, there are too many software problems/too man features are missing for this to be our only daily driver. For example, on the test drive, the delay between activating the turn signal, and the blind spot camera appearing in the dashboard, was noticeable and I did not like it. Also, there is no way to keep the cameras on while you drive. I use this feature a lot while driving with the bikes on the bike rack. Tesla has its software issues, too. For example, the MS doesn't always auto present the door handles, and Murphy's law dictates that happens when I'm carrying something with two hands, have only a free pinky to grab the door handle, and its pouring rain and now have to figure out how to fish the fob out of my pocket.

I'm not sure which I would choose if I didn't have a 2020 MS because I really like the steering wheel, the vertical screen, the manual air vents and other controls. From what I've read and seen with the new MS, I think I wouldn't like the yoke, horizontal screen, and digital air vents and other controls.

Take this FWIW and note that this could change. Maybe in a few years we don't bring as much bulky stuff on vacation, and there's a roof rack for the Air, and the mirrors stay folded, and there's a better network of chargers, and Lucid had made some major SW improvements.

But for now, the quieter/smoother ride and fancier cabin of the Air aren't enough to make us give up the 2020 MS (and we can't keep both).

Best of luck!

I have no disagreement with anything you mentioned. Your situation justifies the car you have over the Lucid.

 

[Luci]

Let me preface by saying, this is my first EV vehicle.

Our Tesla experience was memorable and not in a good way.
1. We scheduled a test drive at their design studio in Dallas, and when we showed up, they did not have the vehicle there. No advance phone call to let us know even though we had an appointment. We then drove another 50 miles to another site where we could drive the car.
2. We were close on purchasing the Tesla Plaid Plus and had paid the deposit, then Tesla decided to not produce and their plan, not mine, to switch my order into the Plaid. No phone call, no follow up, just an email, we have ordered your plaid. .

After these two experiences, which in my view, speaks volume to their attitude toward the customer, we deceided to look elsewhere.

After a bit of research, I liked the direction, looks, style, size, and intended performance of the Lucid., placed a deposit, and have not looked back. The range, as others have stated, was key, particularly in Texas where just to go to town from the farm is a 50 mile trip, before you add any other stops! Their committment to quality and customer satisfiaction and experience, appears to be on point and thus far, no regrets.

 

[L U C I D]

I have owned three Teslas at this point: 2016 S90D, 2018 M3 AWD, and 2019 M3P. Combined, we have over 100k miles driven coast-to-coast and have visited over 110 unique supercharging locations. Each car has its quirks, as all cars do, but I've been very impressed with the overall ownership of each. All have been pretty reliable, with only occasional issues, all fixed under warranty (12v battery and seat squeak on the 3 and on the S: replaced headlight, a dash rattle and charge port door). With our current 3, I’ve added sound insulation as well as better tires and that has helped reduce NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness). That said, for our next EV, I’d like a more luxurious interior, smoother ride, and something different.

We’ve been lucky to see in person both the Rivian R1S and R1T, which are very nice. Additionally, we’ve driven the Polestar 2, VW ID4, Volvo XC40 EV, Mini Cooper EV, Audi eTron and Mercedes EQS twice at an EV driving event in Austin.

I wasn't really in the market for a new car, as the wife and I currently share the Model 3 AWD, though we were considering the 4680 Model Y AWD. But after reading about the coming price hike, I researched Lucid further and was pleasantly surprised to learn about the Pure edition and it’s price point. (And the tax credit brings it close to the current Y pricing.)

Prior to researching the Air, I was aware of the range and the nice interior, though I wasn’t sold on the exterior, primarily with the angled rear trunk seam. (I’m a designer and just haven’t been able to get past it.) In some photos, the seam looks small, but on some cars (pre-production?), especially in white, the panel gap is more noticeable than I prefer. Still looking forward to seeing one in person and taking a test drive.

Other concerns:

1. Long distance charging and reliability of the EA network. This is a big one, but when Tesla opens the US Supercharging network, this will alleviate that concern somewhat.
2. No USB data access. I’m an audiophile and truly hope they provide a solution to play music from USB. Streaming is compressed and network access isn’t always reliable. I hope this feature gets added soon.
3. Sentry mode (including viewing cameras from the mobile app) would be very helpful as well.

In general, someone here pointed out that you need to adjust your expectations for a start-up, and as such, be patient with software bugs and features missing, service issues, etc. I’m okay with all of that as long as Lucid continues to invest and scale in software and serviceability.

At this time, I have two reservations: Pure and Touring. Still deciding on colors, though leaning toward dark grey or preferably white (if the truck seam gap is tight.) Same with interior: Mojave or Santa Cruz, though with the Santa Cruz, I’ll probably pull all the wood trim and sand/stain it lighter to match the Santa Monica trim. I did this with one of the Teslas and it looked great.

Thanks for all your contributions as I learn more about the vehicles.

 

[Patrick L]

The Tesla Model Y in particular has become the Corolla of Southern California.

When my wife and I drove through Irvine a couple of weeks back, we counted almost 10% of the cars were Tesla 3's and Y's. So, I guess they cover both the Corolla sedan and hatchback style (Car that inspired the Y).

 

[Grnr92663]

The Tesla Model Y in particular has become the Corolla of Southern California.

Tesla to SoCal is like trucks to Texas. Everyone have one (or more), and it's being used for everything: Toro, commute, Uber Eat, DoorDash, Lyft...

Just about every house in our neighbor have at least one Tesla

 

[Paladin732]

I’ve had a Model S, a Model 3, an Audi Etron, and a Taycan.

The model s and 3 had terrible build qualities. Software was great, but build really lacked. We sold our 3 to my sister and Lemoned the model S.

We had the Etron for a few months at the beginning of the pandemic, ended up selling it because I didn’t like the SUV form factor.
The build quality was worlds better than the Tesla cars, but the infotainment system was meh.

We really enjoy our Taycan, but Porsche will be Porsche. They have given the finger to 2020 and 2021 buyers in terms of OTA. They promised full OTA and then have refused to give us the latest software that the 2022 have. The navigation is absolutely abysmal (you can’t view the route…), and the infotainment is very slow.
The build quality and interior are fantastic and the car is a blast to drive, however

The Lucid is just a really high end and nice luxury EV, it checked all the boxes for me. The only thing I dislike is the broken software. However, I know they will continue to update it, as opposed to Porsche.

 

[yhenry]

For us, we Lucid offers great trade off for efficiency, power train tech, design and build quality. Those translate to a good look, great ride, range, charging speed and power to load. We like the space/storage efficiency, but honestly I'd trade the rear seat space for rear wheel steering and smaller size. Also I'd rather get a smaller or more agile car for city driving. So EQE is actually has more pros for us than EQS. The new Genesis GV60 with the face unlock and mobile key is also a great contender, too bad the range is not that great.

If only Lucid have a better software, working DriveDrive Pro and AR HUD, it'd be a no brainer.