Outside of discussing dreams, if you aren't familiar with what 'Lucid' represents in the world, don't worry; you're not alone, and we're here to help. In short, Lucid is the new Tesla... sort of. Lucid is an electric car manufacturer founded in 2007 under the name Atieva in part by former Tesla Motors VP Bernard Tse. Beyond their co-founder, Lucid's CEO, Peter Rawlinson, is also a former Tesla employee who served as chief engineer of the Model S at Tesla. Almost a decade later, in 2016, Atieva was rebranded as Lucid Motors and announced its first car, the Lucid Air, was set for production to compete at the luxury level against top-tier and expensive models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and, of course, Tesla. But, Lucid's CEO recently interviewed with ABC News and announced that Lucid's newest project will target not only a much lower and affordable pricepoint but also the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
Lucid wants to appeal to your heart, not just your pocket
It seems clear that electric cars are the wave of the future, with a myriad of benefits to not only the world but also to our health as well. But, to get the majority of drivers on board, electric cars will need to offer more. Clearly aware of this, in the interview with ABC News, Rawlinson spoke reverently of the lure electric cars possess, saying, "The feeling of the road, the feedback through the steering, the instantaneous torque - there is romance with an electric car." Beyond just an emotional appeal, the other issue is cost.
Until recently, playing in the air of pure electric, was a rich person's game. The cheapest offering from Lucid currently is the Air Pure, which starts at a lofty $82,400. Asked about the idea of building a more affordable all-electric car, Rawlingson replied, "That is exactly why I go to work. I am not here to build an expensive car that only rich people can afford." He went on to explain that the reason Lucid began their company selling high-priced people movers was because it was "the only way I could make the business work financially."