Lucid Motors: Bringing Formula E tech to US buyers
The people behind Tesla’s success are now set to build their own electric car in Arizona, starting at the end of 2020.
Former Model S chief engineer Peter Rawlinson projected a very slow ramp-up of production to avoid Tesla’s many quality gaffes; that’s one reason why production is estimated at just 15,000 for all of 2021. The core technologies of the car, though, have already been proven in the Formula E racing series.
The company dates back to 2007, and also includes a former vice president of Tesla and the better-known company’s former head of production. The Lucid plant, which is being subsidized by Arizona, will cost around $240 million in its first phase.
Lucid does plan to license its electric powertrain, which Rawlinson claimed to be “world class,” in both the motor and the inverter design. The first car will be a traditional sedan, with possible the best looks of any full-electric car to date; the intended targets are BMW and Audi. Source: Automotive News (subscription)
Clark Westfield grew up fixing up and driving past-their-prime American cars, including various GM and Mopar V8s. He has ghostwritten auto news for the last few years, and lives in Farmingdale, New York.