Lucid’s Next Electric Vehicle Will Be Much More Affordable
Lucid Motors reveals first glimpse of its next electric model, due in 2026, intended to be the automaker's high-volume midsize offering.
The upcoming EV is expected to have a starting price just below $50,000, and it will target a vast field of luxury and premium competitors in this price range.
The unnamed model, which could be badged Earth, will be the second Lucid model after the Gravity SUV to feature Tesla's NACS ports.
The Lucid Gravity is on its way into production later this year, expected to add a much-needed second model to the automaker's lineup that has so far largely tempted deep-pocketed sedan shoppers. Those sedan shoppers have now received the entirety of the Air lineup, with the company's most affordable model being the last added to the menu.
But more Lucid models are on the way after the Gravity starts arriving at the end of 2024.
Lucid gave the world the first glimpse at one of its future models, slated to enter production in 2026 with a starting price under $50,000.
If the first glimpse is any indication, the planned electric crossover will stick close to the design themes we've seen on the Gravity SUV, while offering a more modest footprint.
With a starting price expected just below $50,000, it will also land in a busy segment that has been dominated by the Tesla Model Y for quite some time, and which is still absorbing new arrivals with some hesitation.
"The new crossover will use the efficiency and cost advantages enabled by Lucid technology to deliver the same range as competitors while using a smaller battery," the automaker said.
This next EV isn't likely to offer the same type of record-setting range as the Lucid Air, but it should still land around the 300-mile mark to be competitive in 2026.
For now Lucid calls the planned platform a midsize one, likely pointing to the possibility that this model will seat five passengers in two rows instead of the Gravity's seven. The profile view of the planned model does not reveal much room behind the C-pillar.
Lucid has faced a number of headwinds over the last year and a half—headwinds that have already results in personnel cuts as well as steep price cuts on its Air sedan.
The EV maker has received two large cash infusions from its main financial backer earlier this year, a unit of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), while getting ready for Gravity production in Casa Grande, Arizona.
By the time the 2026 electric crossover arrives, Lucid will long be integrated into Tesla's Supercharger network with the Gravity SUV slated to be the first to feature a native NACS port.
Lucid hasn't revealed just what this next EV will be called, though our money is on the name Earth.
Will Tesla's Model Y still dominate the market in 2026, or will another popular electric crossover command that particular EV segment by then? Let us know what you think in the comments below.