Lucid’s subsequent automotive has the Tesla Mannequin Y in its sights

Electrical automobile (EV) startup Lucid Motors is switching gears to focus on the plenty.

Up to now solely a producer of luxurious EVs, the corporate is about to take learnings from its Air sedan and Gravity SUV and bundle them in a extra reasonably priced mid-sized EV.

In a ceremony celebrating the growth of Lucid’s AMP-1 manufacturing unit within the US state of Arizona, firm executives teased the existence of the mid-sized EV and confirmed the automotive is already in growth. It additionally confirmed visitors a silhouette of the automobile, which gave the impression to be a crossover.

“Mid-size is an excellent thrilling program,” Lucid’s senior vice chairman of design and model, Derek Jenkins, informed Electrek.

“The entire level of all of that is to determine ourselves on this luxurious section after which take all of the attributes, all the aptitude, and a model of the know-how and go mainstream.

“That’s what that automotive represents, and it has all of that, surprisingly.”

Mr Jenkins then dropped a touch on the maturity of “venture mid-size”.

“We’re going to say as a lot as we are able to as quickly as we are able to, however I’ll say the design is pretty solidified at this level, however there are nonetheless issues being reviewed,” he stated.

Inside EVs reviews the brand new mannequin might launch as early as 2025.

The brand new mannequin will reportedly be manufactured in Lucid’s new facility in Saudi Arabia and have an annual manufacturing of 150,000 items.

Lucid has been fairly candid when evaluating itself to EV producer Tesla, particularly when discussing what a part of the EV promote it needs to enter.

The corporate is following the same technique to Tesla, which additionally launched extra premium fashions (Mannequin S, Mannequin X) first with the intention to acquire sufficient assets to in flip launch extra reasonably priced mass-market merchandise (Mannequin 3, Mannequin Y).

“Mid-size goes to be our extra reasonably priced automotive – extra of a (Tesla) Mannequin 3, Mannequin Y competitor,” stated Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson, who beforehand served at Tesla because the chief engineer for the Mannequin S.

For context, the Tesla Mannequin 3 begins at across the US$40,000 (A$60,000 AUD) mark, whereas the Lucid Air sedan vary opens at US$77,400 (A$117,432).

“Our mid-size is, for the primary time, it’s overtly going to be a Tesla competitor. It’s going to be the Tesla Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y. It’s our huge quantity platform and we’re going to do that and it is a few years from now,” stated Mr Rawlinson.

“I need to be very clear about that – we could also be Mercedes’ rivals immediately, however we’re going Mannequin 3 and Mannequin Y.”

A query mark hangs over the mid-sized EV’s Australian arrival, nonetheless.

Lucid’s CEO has beforehand stated he’s wanting to broaden the EV firm to new markets and new segments, and confirmed a UK launch is within the playing cards.

“We’ve bought to do right-hand drive Air… We’ve bitten off a lot proper now. It’s fairly a venture to make a right-hand drive Air; it will take us at the very least 18 months to do,” stated Mr Rawlinson in November 2023.

Lucid says the growth of its AMP-1 facility is essential to its persevering with development.

The manufacturing unit has been expanded by roughly 280,000 sq. metres, taking the entire footprint to greater than 360,000 sq. metres.

Included within the growth is a brand new powertrain facility, new physique and paint retailers, a brand new logistics centre, a brand new high quality management centre and a brand new meeting line amongst different upgrades.