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Lucid's special edition Air EV has over 1,200hp and can get from 0-60mph in under 2 seconds

By Kenny Yeo - on 27 Aug 2022, 9:56am

Lucid's special edition Air EV has over 1,200hp and can get from 0-60mph in under 2 seconds

Note: This article was first published on 22 August 2022.

The Lucid Air Sapphire Edition (Image source: Lucid)

It seems not a month goes by without someone releasing a new absurdly quick EV. The newest kid on the block is Lucid Air Sapphire Edition from Lucid Motors, which was just unveiled at the Monterey Car Week.

You might not have heard the name because its cars aren't available yet in Singapore, but many regard Lucid as Tesla's most dangerous rival. After all, its co-founder Peter Rawlinson was formerly the VP of Engineering and Chief Engineer of the Model S at Tesla.

The Lucid Air Sapphire Edition is the flagship version of Lucid's full-size Air sedan. That means it's also the most powerful car that Lucid makes.

(Image source: Lucid)

You can tell if you know what you are looking for. Its flared fenders accommodate 12mm wider track in the front and 24mm in the rear. It also has custom composite wheels that are 20 inches in front and 21 inches in the rear. And, of course, it comes in an exclusively Sapphire blue colour.

Central to the car is a three-motor powertrain. There's a single electric motor at the front and two electric motors at the back. Together, they produce over 1,200hp which, according to Lucid, makes it "not only the most powerful electric sedan ever produced but also the most powerful sedan in the world."

(Image source: Lucid)

Performance is naturally biblical. It can get from 0 to 60mph (~96.5km/h) in under two seconds, and 0 to 100mph (~160.9km/h) in under four seconds. The quarter-mile dash can be dealt with in under 9 seconds and it has a top speed of over 320km/h.

To give these numbers some context, let's quote some numbers from a 710hp Ferrari F8 Tributo, a supercar that you can sometimes see prowling our streets. The Fezza needs 2.8 seconds to get from 0 to 60mph and 5.3 seconds to get from 0 to 100mph. It also needs 10.2 seconds to do a quarter mile.

And remember, the F8 Tributo is a sleek, relatively lightweight supercar designed to go fast. The Air Sapphire Edition is a luxurious, full-size sedan that comfortably seats four.

The twin electric motors on the rear axle can apply torque in opposite directions to aid cornering. (Image source: Lucid)

The Air Sapphire Edition is ludicrously fast but also clever. The two rear electric motors can apply torque in opposite directions to give the car greater agility and stability in corners. It can also apply regenerative braking to individual wheels so that it works like an electronic differential and aid cornering.

To ensure the car can handle all of its power. The Air Sapphire Edition has carbon ceramic brakes, an upgraded suspension with stiffer springs and higher damping, sway bars, and upgraded power steering and ABS systems.

 

Availability and pricing

(Image source: Lucid)

All of this performance will come with a heavy price tag. The Lucid Air Sapphire Edition starts at a whopping US$249,000 (~S$344,185) and Lucid says delivers will start in the first half of next year.

The company recently made its first UK appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June and is expected to build its first right-hand drive cars soon. Maybe then we could see it arrive in Singapore. After all, our tiny size and constant start-stop traffic is the ideal playground for EVs.

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