First Drive: 2024 Lucid Air Pure

First Impression: It’s Blade Runner meets black car luxury with this all-electric sedan.

When Lucid Motors was listed as an exhibitor at the 2024 CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas, operators were excited—and more than a little curious—about what the electric car manufacturer would have on display. Although Lucid is new to our industry, the company has actually been around since 2007 so they have years of engineering behind them. The Lucid Air sedan impressed attendees with its sleek and ultra-modern design and its award-winning reputation. While appealing to something of a niche market within the industry, it soon became evident that the Air was a favorite among operators adding EVs to their fleet.

So, when the opportunity came for the CD test team to get behind the wheel of the 2024 Lucid Air Pure, you can bet that we were eager to see what this next-generation luxury sedan has to offer the industry. Like much of our readership, we’re relatively new to the world of EVs, so we jumped at the chance to dip our feet in the waters further.

Right off the bat, it was clear that the Lucid Air would offer our testers a bold, new experience. When we were handed the key fob to operate the sedan, we were somewhat surprised to find no buttons, or even keyring, on the sleek trapezoidal object. To access the locked vehicle, we just needed to simply walk up to it, and the retractable handles extended automatically once the presence of the fob was detected. Moreover, the engine started too. Pretty cool, for sure. (Heads up: it can also be activated by a linked smartphone.)

Of course, as we approached the vehicle, we were impressed by its unusual front-end design. Simply calling it sleek doesn’t do it justice. Lucid’s design team say that they were inspired by aircraft for their elegant and aerodynamic design, but frankly we see more Starship Enterprise in the sedan—and we mean that as a high compliment. Right off the bat, there’s no mistaking this as an ultramodern electric vehicle as you’re sure to notice the company’s in-house-designed Intelligent Micro Lens Array headlights that illuminate from a slash in the “grille.” For all our fellow nerds out there, the front end reminded us of Gort, affectionately.

Once comfortably seated inside the Lucid Air, we were wowed by the driver’s cabin. With a 34” glass cockpit display, you (or your chauffeur) are going to immediately feel like you’re in the next generation of automobiles. The interior is almost minimalist, with a digital dash and tablet console control. Though the car we test drove had a range of features, from infotainment to massaging seats, we particularly liked the lack of bells and whistles in regard to commanding the vehicle. Everything is accessible with the tap of the screen on the console. The car is equipped with Apple CarPlay and includes wireless smartphone charging. Concerning comfort, although the seat felt a bit low to the ground, the easy-to-use controls on the 12-way power seat made finding your personal sweet spot in the chair a breeze. There was also plenty of leg- and headroom in the front cabin, making it comfortable for chauffeurs of all shapes and sizes.

Regarding legroom in the rear cabin, Lucid is particularly proud of the Air’s expansive passenger space, highlighted by a large back seat, and our testers were as well. While the standard rear seating is reported to fit up to three adults, there’s also an optional Executive Rear Seating option that adds a recline function. One of our testers chauffeured four members of their family to a sports game with nothing but raves from the back seat—no one was jockeying for extra space.

One note about the passenger cabin: The Lucid Air has the heart of a race car, and its seating position is a bit lower than other sedans in our industry. We all found it comfortable, but it might be a slight concern for your passengers with mobility issues.

As for space, there was plenty to be found in both the rear and front trunks. Yes, you read that correctly ... With no standard combustible engine in the front of the vehicle, Lucid has elected to utilize that space for a “frunk,” if you will. It’s the perfect space for small baggage or to store beverages, while the rear trunk has plenty of room for your larger parcels like golf clubs and long rolling duffels. Don’t let that odd shape of the rear luggage space fool you: It’s deeper than you think.

Comfort in a sedan also extends to peace of mind, and the Lucid Air struck us with its smooth and safe ride. Driving on the South Jersey highways and backroads can be tricky in the springtime as potholes from the winter are still wreaking havoc on tires and suspension. Well, we’re happy to report that Lucid competes with any luxury car when it comes to effortlessly managing the road. Whether it was sailing down the New Jersey Turnpike, strategically dodging bumper-to-bumper traffic on the interstate, or just traversing the suburban avenues, the Air glided smoothly down the blacktop. The cushion-soft suspension deftly handled any bumps in the road while the steering made it easy to swing into even the tightest parking spot. Moreover, the Lucid Air offers a remarkably quiet ride; the artificial hum (pedestrian alert) is not as audible in the cabin as in other vehicles we’ve experienced.

But is it fast? You betcha. With its rear-wheel drive, the Lucid Air has incredible pickup that the company advertises as going from zero to 60 in just over four seconds. The “hair-trigger” acceleration that EVs are known for is certainly present here, and it’s relatively easy to find yourself barreling over the speed limit. But rest assured, after a day or so behind the wheel, each of our testers got accustomed to the “one-pedal driving” and was able to effectively maintain the speed limit. From our research, the one-pedal driving can’t be disabled, so it’s important to give yourself and your team a bit of time to get used to it.

We also were impressed with the standard safety features that assist drivers while on the road. Lucid is among the newer brands in the space, but it goes head-to-head with other luxury brands by including such features as LiDAR, which detects the distance of objects on the road and makes adaptive cruise control possible. The vehicle is also smart, in that it has traffic sign recognition and automatic emergency braking. Its lane departure alert was intuitive and useful, and the backup warning system detected bikes and cars a full block away. What’s more, the Air includes an Automatic Park In & Out option that assists with parallel and perpendicular parking.

We know what you’re thinking: What about the charge? With the Lucid Air Pure, you can expect a range of just over 400 miles on full charge. That’ll roughly get you from San Francisco to Los Angeles on a single charge. Not too shabby, indeed. If range anxiety has been your major impediment against testing an EV in your fleet, this estimated range might just be compelling enough to allay concerns. When charging the vehicle at a station with high-powered chargers, Lucid says you can expect a charge time of 17 minutes per 200 miles, although we found it to be a bit longer, so understand that it's approximate. We're in new territory here, folks.

Bottom line: It’s easy to see why the Lucid Air has piqued the interest of operators who are adding electric vehicles to their fleets. The mix of futuristic style and classic luxury is bound to be appealing to chauffeurs and passengers alike. We had fun testing the Air and believe you will find it impressive.   [CD0824]