Overview
After launching its beautiful Air sedan for the 2021 model year, electric-vehicle upstart Lucid Motors is setting its sights on an equally lovely-looking SUV concept called Project Gravity. Exactly what name this all-electric crossover will wear when it ultimately reaches the market is unknown, but our money is on Lucid just dumping the “Project” prefix. The Gravity is expected to share most of its mechanical bits and interior design with the Air, so we’re looking at big horsepower (up to 1080-hp), a large battery pack (up to 113-kWh), and a posh cabin loaded with modern amenities. Lucid would be wise to get the Gravity into production quickly, as a growing number of rivals—such as the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X, and upcoming Cadillac Lyriq—are already staking claims to the luxury-EV SUV space.
What’s New for 2022?
At the launch of its Air luxury sedan, Lucid teased the upcoming Gravity SUV, saying it would reach the market in the next couple years. We expect it as a 2022 or 2023 model, so those yearning for a gorgeously designed, long-range electric SUV in the vein of the gorgeously-designed, long-range Lucid Air sedan will have to wait.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Lucid has made no mention of the Gravity’s price tag or trim levels yet—and the company probably won’t for some time—but we’re guessing it will cost slightly more than the Air to start and offer a similar array of trims. We’ll update this story with more details as they come out.
- Base: $ 90,000 (est)
- Touring: $ 105,000 (est)
- Grand Touring: $ 145,000 (est)
- Dream Edition: $ 175,000 (est)
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
If the Gravity shares its mechanical underpinnings with the Air sedan, we can expect dual electric motors, which enable standard all-wheel drive, and up to 1080 horsepower. Like the Air, the highest-priced models will likely be the most powerful, with lower-end Gravity trims coming with lower horsepower ratings. An adjustable air suspension is likely to carry over from the Air as a standard feature.
Lucid
Range, Charging, and Battery Life
Although its sedan sibling boasts a driving range of up to 517 miles per charge of its 113-kWh battery pack, the Gravity’s taller, more blunt SUV-styling will likely be less aerodynamic, and range should be reduced slightly as a result. Still, the Gravity’s range should still be longer than that of the most efficient Model X SUV. Like the Air, the Gravity should be able to juice quickly via DC fast-charging and may even come with three years of complimentary charging via Electrify America charging stations.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA’s estimates for the Lucid Gravity’s fuel economy haven’t yet been published, and we’ll likely wait a while to find out since this SUV is still just a concept. We hope to get a chance to test the Gravity on our 200-mile highway fuel economy test route when it gets closer to its launch.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Lucid has so far only shown some partially obscured images of the Gravity’s exterior. If the Air’s luxury-lined cabin is anything to go by, we can expect plenty of touchscreen controls, a mostly glass roof, plenty of stretch-out space for adults in both the front and back seat, and fine materials such as leather, wood, and metal accents.
Infotainment and Connectivity
As with the rest of the Gravity’s interior, the infotainment system and features haven’t been fully revealed. We expect a large digital gauge cluster that blends directly into a dashtop infotainment touchscreen. Voice recognition is sure to be a standard feature, but we haven’t heard anything about smartphone connectivity features such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. More information about the Gravity’s infotainment offerings will be available closer to the SUV’s launch.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
It being a concept, the Gravity has yet to undergo crash testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). A host of driver-assistance features are likely, including Lucid’s promised-for-the-future level 3 self-driving technology. Key safety features are likely to include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Available lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
- Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Lucid is a relatively new player in the automotive world and hasn’t released information about the standard warranty package of its cars. However, it is expected to compete directly with chief rival Tesla and other luxury automakers.
- Limited warranty is expected to cover four years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty is expected to cover eight years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance is expected
