Lucid wants to produce RHD EVs to rival Tesla Model 3, Model Y; to license tech for more affordable EVs

Lucid wants to produce RHD EVs to rival Tesla Model 3, Model Y; to license tech for more affordable EVs

Electric car maker Lucid aims to produce rivals to the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, including right-hand-drive versions of those models, said Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson as reported by Auto Express.

These two models set to rival Tesla’s offerings are to come after the Lucid Gravity SUV, which is scheduled to debut in the second half of next year, thus making Lucid’s competitors to the Model 3 and Model Y the second half of what will be a four-model Lucid line-up.

“After [the] Gravity we’re going to do Model 3 and Model Y competitors. We think [they will be priced] around US$50,000 (RM225,150), [or] something like that. It’s too early to say, but that’s the vision,” Rawlinson told Auto Express.

Lucid is eager to expand its reach to right-hand-drive markets, “but it’s a matter of engineering priorities. We are slammed; we’ve got to get the Sapphire out this year. The Sapphire is the high-performance, tri-motor version of the Air, and we’ve got to get the Gravity out next year,” Rawlinson continued.

Lucid wants to produce RHD EVs to rival Tesla Model 3, Model Y; to license tech for more affordable EVs

Lucid Gravity SUV

Right-hand drive versions of its vehicles may have to be outsourced to an external engineering company to carry out the right-hand-drive model projects for Lucid, even if Rawlinson sounds reluctant to do so.

“It breaks my heart, [but] maybe we can outsource [the] right-hand drive project to an engineering company to do it for us. The potential market in the UK is probably bigger than even Germany in terms of a latent desire to go EV,” the CEO said.

Beyond its current models, Lucid plans to license its technology to create a multiplier effect in the electric vehicle market. “There are only so many cars Lucid could make, but suddenly it’s like 20 times more,” said Rawlinson. “It’s like software licensing; you just flash out your software and your hardware doesn’t work without a software flash from us, and you have to pay us ‘X’ amount per car for that flash,” the CEO added.

Closer to the present, Lucid and Aston Martin signed a deal in which the British luxury brand paid the American EV firm US$232 million in shares and cash in exchange for EV powertrain components, and thus will be used to form the basis of future Aston Martin electric hypercars, sports cars, GTs and SUVs, the first of which will launch in 2025.

The twin-rear drive unit on the rear axle of the Lucid Air Sapphire. Click to enlarge

The biggest impact that could be made on the mass-market EV will be with smaller battery packs, says Rawlinson, whose vision is to achieve an efficiency rate of six miles (9.6 km) per kWh. “The electric car of the future only needs 250 miles (400 km) [of range];we don’t need 500-mile (800 km)-capable cars in the future, 10 years from now,” said Rawlinson.

“If we could get six miles (9.6 km) per kilowatt-hour and you only need 150 miles (240 km) of range, that’s a 25 kilowatt-hour pack. That’s a $4,000 (RM18,036) pack particularly with a bit of industrialising scale and battery manufacture. That’s what we need to make a $25,000 (RM112,725) car and that’s what the environment and the world needs urgently to get masses into electric cars,” he continued.

“Now is Lucid going to make that? No. It’s a horrible thing to be making. But could we be the ‘intel inside’ for that car? The enabler? Absolutely. And that’s where we could get the multiplier effect,” Rawlinson said.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • Winner Ong on Jul 31, 2023 at 7:39 pm

    Your komen not need here BCOS you no money pupil like me can buy got money also. Go make money then talk here if not just drive your tanjong Malim car. Don’t hurt your heart be personal ok just go far far away play have nice day. Thank you to my fans and who love BMW and Range Rover

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 5
  • Bring em to msia and bring em before 31 Dec 2025

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • ROTI CANAI on Jul 31, 2023 at 10:10 pm

    need make deal with malaysia gov first k

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
  • furu odc on Aug 01, 2023 at 8:15 am

    Making a RHD? this is an EV car. Basically it’s even possible to put the driver in the backseat if u want to, since everything is drive-by-wire

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
    • Paul Tan on Aug 01, 2023 at 10:36 am

      what? no. almost all still use normal steering rack.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
      • Retired Akio on Aug 02, 2023 at 3:28 pm

        Lexus RZ uses steer by wire, a truly steering yoke.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Whlawson on Aug 02, 2023 at 6:56 pm

        Paul, in Britain they talking about road tax by the mile traveled. Tesla EV is a big computer-on-wheels having over the air data link. It is entirely possible to know miles traveled by every Tesla even on hourly basis. For extended range Model Y let us assume an up front road tax of RM3,600.

        For every 1km traveled RM0.10 is deducted. If by end of the year only 24,000km of travelling is recorded over the air then a top up of RM2400 is required, onto balance of RM1200, for road tax for the following year.

        There has been even talks of insurance for every Tesla car base on data collected. Speed, time on the road, safe or unsafe driving habits, km traveled to calculate risk factor and then price in cost of insurance accordingly.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Peppa on Aug 01, 2023 at 8:53 am

    Lucid literally make the almost perfect EV. EV without the front trunk is irrelevant to me.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required