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Lucid Motors is one of the most exciting automotive startups since Tesla, and the big claims continue rolling in ahead of its first production car – the Air – hitting the market. We already know the base model will be cheaper than the base Tesla Model S, but a recent chat with the company has shed light on the crazy performance you can expect from its range-topping cars.
The performance potential on offer from electric cars is clear: the Tesla Model S P100D will hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than three seconds, putting it on pace with exotic hypercars, while offering seating for five and room for all their luggage. In an attempt to one up the Ludicrous best from Elon Musk, you can expect the flagship Air to hit 60 mph (98 km/h) in 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed beyond 200 mph (322 km/h). In testing, the company has apparently seen 217 mph (349 km/h).
[...] Whereas the largest battery pack on offer in the Model S is 100 kWh, the Air will be offered with 65, 100 or 130 kWh options, delivering a maximum range of 400 miles (644 km).
[...] At the cell level, we have worked together with Samsung SDI to develop a cell chemistry that is far more tolerant of repeated fast-charging than the chemistries found in existing EVs. This means the Air will be able to fast charge repeatedly with minimal loss of battery capacity...
Would a serious competitor for the electric car crown hurt Tesla?
(Score: 4, Funny) by VLM on Tuesday May 02 2017, @08:43PM (3 children)
delivering a maximum range of 400 miles
It don't matter, regardless of the marketing range X, first of all in the real world it'll only go X/4 just like my smart phone is supposed to have a 48 hour battery or some idiocy but it barely makes it thru the day, secondly no matter the value X doubles every decade, the folks who don't like electric cars will proudly announce no one will buy it because they need to drive X+10 miles every day and X just isn't enough. I assume we have those people to blame for cars that have 18 cup holders but only seat 4 and spend almost all their miles seating 1.
Someday my theoretical grandkids will be reading posts on SN about how the new Tesla now with Mister Fusion technology is useless for real americans because the tritium cartridge only holds enough to drive 250000 miles between charges and real americans have really long commutes and road trips and shit.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday May 02 2017, @09:07PM
For most real people, the actual problem manufacturers need to solve is how you fold the car in half twice for parking (should be easier without a transmission), and how they're going to charge when home doesn't even have a driveway.
At $100k, you get people (most of which can't afford it) bitching about sub-infinite range, despite having the kid's Lexus as a backup.
At $20k, you have to address real everyday problems.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Tuesday May 02 2017, @09:10PM (1 child)
Of course it matters - it's the complainers who don't. They weren't going to buy an EV regardless, so there only relevance is if they somehow manage to change other people's minds.
Meanwhile, the people that *are* interested in buying an EV may very consider the available range when deciding exactly what to buy.
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Tuesday May 02 2017, @09:29PM
The nearest city in my state is 290 miles away.
Running AC or heater... dubious a one-shot trip with a (nominally) 400 mile range vehicle would make it.
400 miles range might be enough to make it in one go. I'd be pretty damned wary of trying it, though, and in the current (hah) Teslas, no, I wouldn't even consider trying it.
I expect they'll get this handled at some point, but we're really not that close yet. This car is vaporware at the moment, so I'm not willing to count it. When they do, if the car is a reasonable machine, I'm all in. Until then, its dead dino juice for me.
Also... my observation so far is that these range estimates are... optimistic.