Lucid’s Peter Rawlinson has openly criticized Tesla for losing its focus and its technological lead in the automotive industry. The former chief vehicle engineer of the Tesla Model S now believes Lucid now has the world’s most advanced automotive technology, showcased by the Lucid Air, which is quicker, more efficient and quicker to charge than Tesla's top sedan.
In a recent interview with Liz Claman on Fox Business, Rawlinson said Lucid now has “the most advanced technology in the world.” He points to a version of the Air sedan having recently achieved a remarkable efficiency of 5 miles per kilowatt-hour, which he claims “no one is even close” to matching.
Making highly efficient vehicles is part of the company’s ethos, and the goal is to achieve 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) per kilowatt-hour, which he deems “the holy grail” of EV efficiency.
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Lucid CEO says his company is an industry leader
Peter Rawlinson has never been shy to boast about Lucid's 900-volt architecture, super-fast charging and remarkable efficiency, all of which will remain true for the upcoming Gravity SUV.
The upcoming Gravity SUV was also a big talking point in the interview. The Lucid boss made some bold claims about the Air’s upcoming taller sibling, which is built on a separate, dedicated SUV platform, so he says it’s not related to the sedan in the same way the Tesla Model X is related to the Model S. He even implies this makes the Model X not a "true" SUV but simply a larger Model S that sits higher off the ground.
Gallery: 2024 Lucid Air Pure
He also touted the Gravity’s excellent packaging, stating that even though it’s only about two inches longer than the Air in terms of total length, it has a lot more space inside. It can apparently fit basketball player-sized people behind one another in each of its three rows at the same time—that sounds amazing, and we would love to see a demonstration.
Providing an engaging driving experience in an EV is something most manufacturers are still struggling with, but Lucid is one of the few that seems to have dialed it in. The Air offers a stellar combination of power, fun and efficiency, and this sporty character will be carried over to the much more practical and capable Gravity, whose driving experience Rawlinson said will rival that of a Lamborghini Urus.
The quickest version will hit sixty from a standstill in 3.5 seconds, but if Lucid ever makes a Gravity Sapphire, it will surely dip below the three-second mark.
Gallery: 2025 Lucid Gravity
It will offer “the stature of a Range Rover” and “the interior space of an Escalade.” Regarding the Gravity’s frunk, it has been designed to work as a bench where you can sit down, relax and admire the stunning vista that you just drove up to. You should be able to reach some reasonably remote spots thanks to the Gravity’s raised suspension, which is about two centimeters (almost an inch) taller than in the Air sedan.
Offering a lot of real-world range will be a key selling point for the Gravity, which promises to deliver up to 440 miles on one charge thanks to Lucid’s powertrain efficiency and a low drag coefficient of just 0.24 Cd. With its 900-volt architecture, it will be able to add 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes from a powerful enough Level 3 charging station.
It promises to not only be good at carrying people but also cargo, with a maximum payload of 1,500 pounds and a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds.
Rawlinson was coy about announcing when the Gravity was going into production, but he did say it was going to happen by the end of the year. He also said the most affordable version of the Gravity will cost under $80,000, although if it’s like the Air, the vehicle will launch with the more expensive variants at first.
