2024 Lucid Gravity

While many young EV companies like Fisker and VinFast are preparing to take on America with SUVs, Lucid announced its arrival with a sedan simply called the Air. Considering the ever-growing appetite for SUVs in the USA, that was a brave first step; but Lucid has now responded with a high-riding EV of its own in the form of the Gravity. With seating for up to seven occupants, the Gravity adds more practicality to the mix while retaining the luxury, imposing style, and advanced technology found in the Air. It will inevitably be compared to the Mercedes EQS SUV and, naturally, the Tesla Model X. Although the Gravity may not surpass the performance and range of the sleeker Air sedan, we expect it to be one of the best in these areas as far as electric SUVs go.

The release date for the Lucid Gravity has been set for 2024, but reservations are already opening early in 2023. Considering that it will be coming out almost a full decade after the original Tesla Model X, we expect the Gravity to have the edge in this segment.

For now, the price of the 2024 Lucid Gravity SUV remains unknown, but don't expect this to be an affordable EV. The Air Sedan has a price range of between $87,400 and $249,000, and it's unlikely that the Gravity will cost less than this. A starting price of close to $100,000 is a reasonable expectation, with the Mercedes EQS starting at around $104,400; still, that makes the base Gravity more affordable than the Tesla Model X, which currently starts at an MSRP of $120,990.

The design language of the Lucid Air sedan looks to have been successfully applied to a larger, taller SUV body. Although we don't have a clear view of every angle yet, the exterior of the new Lucid Gravity SUV is elegant but also has the requisite gravitas that a vehicle competing with the Model X and Mercedes EQS SUV needs.

In front, the most significant change is the tall hood, but the full-width lighting and otherwise clean lines are very much in line with the Air. We spotted attractive wheels, and flush-fitting door handles along the sides, and it looks like Lucid has resisted the temptation for a sloping roofline, probably in the interests of practicality.

The Gravity name has been neatly integrated into the rearmost roof pillar, and there is an expansive glass roof that appears to stretch all the way to the third row. The taillights also stretch across the width of the body, while the Lucid name is lit up in red on the tailgate. There is also quite a substantial roof spoiler at the back.

If the colors available for the Lucid Gravity mirror those of the Air sedan, we can expect hues like Stellar White, Infinite Black, Cosmos Silver, Quantum Grey, and Zenith Red. If there is to be a high-performance Gravity Sapphire in the future, it will probably come in the same Sapphire Blue as the Air Sapphire.

We don't know what the dimensions of the Lucid Air are just yet. However, considering that Lucid is positioning this as a flagship model alongside the Air sedan as well as the fact that it can seat seven, we expect the Gravity to be around about as large as other seven-seat SUVs like the Mercedes EQS SUV. That model has a width/length/height of 84.9/201.8/67.8 inches, respectively. A full-size electric SUV like the Gravity will likely weigh over 6,000 pounds.

The performance specs of the Lucid Gravity are unknown, but the automaker's claim that this is a "supercar in disguise" demonstrates that it'll be anything but slow. It could share its motors and platform with the Air.

Although we expect dual electric motors and all-wheel drive to dominate the Gravity lineup, perhaps Lucid will see fit to start things off with a less powerful single-motor model. In the Lucid Air Pure, its single electric motor makes 480 horsepower. The Air lineup progresses to dual-motor variants before culminating in the ridiculous Air Sapphire, with over 1,200 hp and three electric motors. Evidently, Lucid has the powertrain expertise to make the Gravity one of the quickest SUVs in the world.

Because of its extra weight relative to the sedan, we don't think the Gravity will be quite as quick, but a potential 1,200-hp variant should still be able to accomplish a 0-60 mph time in the mid-two-second range, just like the Tesla Model X Plaid.

The Air Sapphire requires no preconditioning routines to deliver repeated launches, and it comes with carbon-ceramic brakes and a uniquely tuned suspension to handle its greater performance. We expect similar modifications for the quickest Gravity, but as a seven-seater family vehicle, it will also have to prioritize comfort.

Other than the Air sedan, Lucid says the Gravity will have a greater range than any other EV on the market. The current Air has an EPA-certified range of up to 520 miles, while the Tesla Model X Plaid can manage around 350 miles. The Gravity is likely to fall somewhere between these two figures based on Lucid's claims - if it can get close to 500 miles on a full charge, that would be exceptional for such a large EV.

In terms of efficiency, Lucid will be eyeing the Model X's best figures of 107/97/102 MPGe city/highway/combined.

The Air can charge at speeds of up to 350 kW at a DC fast-charging station, adding around 200 miles of range in 12 minutes. The larger Gravity should be able to charge at the same rate but a potentially larger battery may be needed to compensate for its size, slightly reducing the range you can add when charging for as long as the Air.

Only two images of the Lucid Gravity's interior have been shared by the automaker. In it, we have a view of the second and third seating rows in what is clearly a large, spacious cabin. The version pictured here appears to seat six and has second-row reclining captain's chairs inside that look exceptionally comfortable.

Lucid is catering to all types of customers, though, and says that five- and seven-seater configurations will also be available. In five-seater form, the cargo space in the Lucid Gravity is certain to be plentiful. It's not obvious whether the five-seat configuration dispenses with a third row entirely and possibly moves the second row further back for the ultimate in luxury, or if this simply involves folding the third row down. In any case, the Lucid Gravity's seats should be comfy regardless of where you're sitting.

Besides that, the Air sedan already has one of the largest frunks available at almost 10 cubic feet. One can only imagine how large the Gravity's frunk could be given its additional height - the automaker says that the cargo space is "impossibly big" relative to the vehicle's size.

Lucid has confirmed that the Gravity's cabin will have Glass Cockpit high-resolution displays, possibly measuring the same 34 inches as in the Air sedan. The infotainment interface will be powered by Lucid's next-generation UX software interface, and hopefully, the Gravity avoids some of the lag issues and glitches that have marred the setup in the Air.

This will be an advanced SUV with over-the-air updates, adaptive cruise control, and power-adjustable seats in front, probably all being standard. Expect top-class materials, too, along with the Dream Drive driver-assistance suite.