2023 Lucid Air Pure First Drive: The Cheaper The Higher

Mercedes-Benz, in the meantime, continues to drop new fashions within the EQ lineup that goal to fulfill a extra plush imaginative and prescient of electrical luxurious, with overboard tech, nautical styling, and fewer participating driving dynamics. However the roomy EQS nonetheless appears excellent for a selected subset of EV consumers (retired dentists, because the joke goes). In distinction, the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan siblings from Volkswagen AG lean into the lowslung, extra aggressive sport-sedan type. However these traits come at the price of cramped interiors and much much less vary—whereas simply costing way more than the brand new Pure.

Actually, as a lot because the Pure now undercuts or not less than solidly competes with the remainder of the posh EV market, to an extent this least expensive Air variant additionally presents a problem for Lucid internally. Shifting downmarket from six-figure hyper-sedans with out a extra vital differentiation aside from vary and output now makes that GTP, for instance, at $179,000 a severe query of {dollars} spent per extra horsepower or mile of vary.

A strong roof, high-quality inside, spectacular driving dynamics, and comparable styling—all at nearly half the price—will doubtless make the Pure a simple selection for many consumers. As a spoiled rotten pace freak and devoted street tripper, my hypothetical cash would most likely go to a Grand Touring hoping for the appropriate steadiness of vary and not less than a bit extra energy. However in the true world, charging community infrastructure nonetheless wants radical enchancment, that means each Air remains to be a metropolis automotive so the most cost effective RWD Pure, subsequently, would possibly properly be the very best wager.