Lucid Air Grand Touring Keeps Best-In-The-U.S. EV Range Despite Tougher EPA Test
Photo: Lucid
The 2024 Lucid Air Grand Touring is getting some important updates that’ll take its world-beating 516 miles of range in 2023 to… 516 miles of range. I know that sounds wrong, but it’s actually correct: See, Lucid says the EPA made its electric range test more challenging for 2024, but thanks to a new heat pump and some other odds and ends, the Air Grand Touring’s range stays consistent.
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The Grand Touring is in the upper echelon of the Air lineup, placed above the Pure and Touring, but well below the absolutely bonkers $250,000 Air Sapphire. Still, the Grand Touring delivers 819 horsepower and 885 lb-ft of torque, which is more than enough for anyone who isn’t out of their goddamn mind. It certainly isn’t cheap either. The Air GT starts at $111,475, including destination, and it makes use of a 112 kWh battery pack.
Along with the added heat pump that trickled down from the Sapphire — which Lucid says will greatly boost cold-weather range — Lucid also made some changes to its extremely compact electric motor design, battery cell chemistry and thermal characteristics. Combined, they allow more spirited performance for longer periods. On top of that, Lucid says the Grand Touring will charge 15 to 30 percent faster than before with the help of improved battery pre-conditioning on the way to a charger.
“The Air Grand Touring is our longest-range car – in fact the longest-range EV available today – and is now further optimized with a multitude of powertrain updates, including the Air Sapphire heat pump. The Air Grand Touring retains its 516-mile range estimate, achieving this despite more-stringent EPA testing,” Peter Rawlinson, Lucid CEO and CTO, said in a statement. “More importantly, it delivers improved range and efficiency. In a broader range of everyday, real-world conditions.
It’s certainly a funny coincidence that 516 miles of range is what was returned after all of these changes. Rawlinson — jokingly — told me he wished the number had actually turned out to be slightly different just so it would be easier to tell things actually changed. I’m sure he’s happy with the results, regardless.
