Lucid Air: Supercar performance, innovative interior

DETROIT — After testing a third new electric vehicle in as many weeks, I am more convinced than ever that EV adoption has the potential to happen much faster than skeptics and analysts believe.

This week I spent about an hour driving the Lucid Air, which is essentially a supercar wrapped in svelte sedan bodywork.

The Air's twin electric motors are rated at 1,111 hp. They propel the car from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 235 mph on the track. The street version is limited to a top speed of 168 mph.

Launching in Swift mode on a quiet country road north of Detroit reminded me of the opening sequence of one of the "Star Trek" series, when the Enterprise accelerates and the stars get blurry and the spaceship disappears into the horizon. I didn't hit triple-digit speeds, of course, but I stayed on the accelerator long enough to feel the powerful elasticity of the electric powertrain. The rush of being pressed back into the seat upon acceleration is a really cool feeling.

Air is an appropriate name for the nearly noiseless car. The engineers left in the natural sound of the in-house manufactured electric motors. It's a very pleasing and futuristic kind of whine-purr that is bound to excite those who like a little character in their cars.

Lucid's chassis designers have very likely set the standard in electric cars for handling. The car feels light. The steering is quick and provides nice feedback. I didn't use the brakes much because the regenerative braking was strong and seamless.

The Air's interior, in my view, is the best in class for any EV. The materials are rich-looking and handsomely designed, and they feel good in your hands.

The screens are simple to read and don't distract the driver with too much information. The rear area provides limousine levels of room.

The Air is the first EV I have been able to settle into and immediately drive without having to be a computer programmer to operate basic functions.

Until now, Tesla's Model S has not had any real competition. The Air could change that. It's far more refined, and it has a much classier interior.

Of course, Lucid, like Rivian and other startup EV companies, will have to do much more than deliver fast, good-looking vehicles that are entertaining to drive.

These new-generation EVs are going to have to deliver the same level of quality, reliability and ease of maintenance that consumers are accustomed to receiving. Lucid will not have a traditional dealership network, so it remains to be seen how well the company takes care of customer cars that can't be fixed with over-the-air software updates.

One last thought on the three EVs I have tested recently, the Rivian R1T, the GMC Hummer EV pickup and the Lucid Air Dream Edition: These vehicles feel like the natural evolution of the automobile. For more than a century, engineers have been working to make the car smoother, quieter, more efficient and easier on the environment.

EVs accomplish all that with one, perhaps unexpected, twist: They are incredibly fun and engaging to drive.