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Whereas gross sales of the Air sedan have been gradual, Lucid is planning a lot larger capability for the Gravity, a three-row luxurious SUV with 440 miles of vary.
Startup electric-car maker Lucid Motors reduce the ribbon Wednesday on a large growth of its U.S. meeting plant in Casa Grande, Arizona. The corporate has constructed the Lucid Air luxurious sedan there for about two years, however the enlarged plant is required for manufacturing of its second EV, the Gravity three-row SUV. First autos are to be delivered earlier than the tip of this 12 months.
Unveiled final November, the Lucid Gravity adapts the low, modern, aerodynamic form of the Air into a wholly totally different phase: the household SUV. With nearly precisely the footprint of an Audi Q7, the Gravity provides 112 cubic toes of inside quantity, near the 121 cu ft of a Cadillac Escalade—a truck-based SUV greater than a foot longer than the Lucid.
The corporate has tailored a number of key parts from the Air to create the Gravity, simplifying some features of the expertise to scale back complexity and value. Whereas its battery case is formed in another way, the Gravity makes use of the identical the 2170-format cells and modules because the Air. Its powertrain—comprising the motor, drive unit, and energy electronics—has roughly 90 p.c of its elements in widespread with the Air.
The chassis is much like that of the Air, although the modifications required for its taller stance and better physique construction had been sufficiently complete that Lucid dubs it a brand new platform. Amongst these is the addition of air suspension, not supplied on the Air sedan, however now basically a required characteristic on load-carrying top-end luxurious SUVs.
On launch, Lucid stated, the Gravity will supply a rated vary of 440 miles or extra. Whereas not as excessive because the 516-mile vary ranking for one particular model of the Air, that’s considerably greater than the 348 miles supplied by the longest-range Tesla Mannequin X—or, as Rawlinson put it, “our closest competitor, whomever that could be.” A decade in the past, Rawlinson was lead engineer on the unique Tesla Mannequin S, however there’s seemingly little love misplaced between him and his former employer.
Extra space, increased run charges
The manufacturing facility by which manufacturing of the Air started in late 2021 was roughly 800,000 sq. toes in its first incarnation, and Lucid needed to put some operations in a number of different websites inside a 15-mile radius of the meeting plant. The plant’s footprint has now grown to three.85 million sq. toes, nearly quadrupling its preliminary measurement.
The ability now features a new general-assembly line, expanded physique meeting and paint outlets, a brand new high quality heart, a warehouse, a logistics heart, and an expanded powertrain facility that brings that perform in from an offsite location. Lastly, a complicated, vertically built-in new stamping facility will begin operations later in 2024.
That first iteration of the Arizona plant (which Lucid calls AMP-1) had a run price of six vehicles an hour, in line with Steve Inglis, director of car meeting. As soon as absolutely provisioned, he stated, the expanded manufacturing facility might be able to producing as much as 22 vehicles per hour—for a gentle “buyer yield” price of 19 an hour, excluding stoppages, extra intensive high quality exams, any rework, and the like.
That interprets to a most capability of 90,000 vehicles a 12 months. Even when the Gravity is a smash hit, that price will take just a few years to attain. However Lucid has a second plant (AMP-2) going up outdoors Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, deliberate for a capability of as much as 150,000 autos a 12 months. As we speak, the primary part of that plant assembles Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) Lucid Air kits shipped from Arizona.
The Saudi Arabia plant will construct Lucid’s third car, a smaller SUV identified solely as ‘Mission Midsize’—although it’s doable U.S. patrons would possibly get variations in-built Arizona that may qualify for U.S. authorities buy incentives. In the course of the occasion, Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson briefly flashed a slide of a ‘Mission Midsize’ car underneath a canopy, and stated it was now present process engineering critiques. Smaller, more cost effective, and higher-volume than the Gravity, you may view it as Lucid’s competitor to the world’s best-selling car for 2023, the Tesla Mannequin Y.
Speeches and politicians
The ceremonial occasion on Wednesday was attended by Arizona governor Katie Hobbs, amongst others native luminaries. Rawlinson joined politicians and executives on a stage arrange within the heart of the expanded plant to chop the ribbon in entrance of a number of hundred Lucid employees.
The CEO kicked off the proceedings by reviewing Lucid’s historical past, from its begin a decade in the past as Atieva to its October 2016 title change. He stated its sudden supply to provide batteries for the nascent FIA System E single-seat EV race sequence was ample proof of its expertise that the Saudi Public Funding Fund selected to take a position billions of {dollars} in Lucid. That allow the corporate begin manufacturing of the Air, ending a two-year hiatus whereas Rawlinson sought funding.
Steven David, the plant’s SVP of producing, then spoke at size concerning the plant’s objectives of excellence and the corporate’s pleasure in working Arizona’s sole auto meeting plant. He lauded the workforce, exhorting them and company to make right this moment the “Finest Day Ever.”
In a primary for this reporter, David spoke for longer than the 2 politicians who adopted him put collectively. Governor Hobbs promoted the state’s rising ecosystem of sustainable and EV suppliers, whereas Congressman Juan Ciscomani—in whose district the plant lies—confessed his need for the Arizona-built seven-seat Gravity, noting, “I’ve acquired 5 youngsters!”
Lucid supplied airfare, lodging, and meals to allow Charged EVs to convey you this first-person report.
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