Lucid Air Touring makes a case for luxury EV buyers

Five model years into its manufacturing history, Lucid Motors is experiencing the success it sought when the company was founded nearly 20 years ago. Almost always referred to as a competitor of Tesla, Lucid began small. It introduced the Air as a full-sized electric luxury sports sedan in 2022. Industry curiosity followed; sales were woeful. But in 2025, Lucid’s available nationwide network expanded to 825 locations in 46 states, including six studio and service centers in Florida. Sales surpassed 15,000, about 5,000 more than in 2024.

Formerly called Atieva, Lucid remains headquartered in Newark, California. Production of the Lucid Air, including the reviewed 2026 Touring trim, began in Casa Grande, Arizona, in 2021. The company’s first electric sport utility vehicle, the Gravity, debuted in late 2024.

Lucid’s success continues with the company’s fourth CEO, Silvio Napoli. Earlier this year, Napoli replaced Peter Rawlinson, the former head engineer for the Tesla Model S. Much has been written about Rawlinson’s frustration with Tesla founder Elon Musk and the duo’s soured business relationship.

The Air joins a small corps of high-end electric sedans: Besides several Tesla models, competitors include the Audi RS e-tron GT, BMW i5 and i7, Mercedes-Benz EQS and Porsche Taycan.

Available in Pure, Touring, Grand Touring and the super-luxury, super-expensive Sapphire trim, the Air lineup exemplifies high performance and handsomeness. It’s a “the-future-is-now” vehicle that redefines the luxury sedan.

Lucid has efficiently arranged the interior driving components with minimalist simplicity. Similar to the far more modestly priced Hyundai Ioniq lineup, less is more. The Air is a sedan with breathing room, particularly on models equipped with a glass canopy. Push the “floating” visors to the side and the front view is reminiscent of a bulbous portal. But there’s one issue: If the vehicle is parked for long in an exposed area, the expansive glass canopy can quickly become hot.

The trunk has a low opening, which provides easy access to 22.1 cubic feet of space. There’s also a sizable, hidden well under the trunk, as well as a 10-cubic-foot frunk under the hood. 

The matte leather interior is made from sustainable sources, with quality stitching and soft-touch, textured surfaces.

Every Lucid Air comes equipped with a “floating” 34-inch screen display on the dash and a 12.5-inch “pilot panel” that flips down on the center console. Physical controls include minimal HVAC buttons, manually adjustable vents, steering wheel controls for the ADAS systems and the sound system’s volume knob. Many other functions are done on the screens.

Safety features are extensive, from forward and reverse collision warning to traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors to stop-and-go adaptive cruise control. A unique, helpful feature is a notification presented in decreasing inches as the front of the vehicle approaches a parking barrier.

The Air Touring is one trim more expensive than the entry-level Pure model. It includes a second motor and all-wheel drive. The car feels quicker than its acceleration estimates, and its engine is quiet at all speeds. A power frunk and a 700-volt electrical architecture for faster charging are also standard.

The Air also has regenerative braking, reducing the occasions when a driver has to brake. The system has personal preference options for the “one-pedal” operation. Some one-pedal vehicles have abrupt stops, but when a driver removes their foot from the Air’s accelerator, speed reduction is smooth.

Also, there’s no ignition. Have the key rectangular fob nearby, put the car in drive and accelerate. Likewise, there’s no manual locking. Park and exit the vehicle, and the doors lock and the handles recess flush in about 20 seconds.

The review vehicle included the driving assistance package ($6,750), a 21-speaker sound system and several additional option packages, easily increasing the total past the $100,000 plateau. It’s a hefty extras tally. But it’s a worthy purchase for an underdog luxury electric sedan in a segment in which superior car-making reigns. 

Facts & figures

Acceleration: 0-to-60 mph, 3.4 seconds

Electric range: 396 miles

Horsepower: 620

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $79,900

Manufacturer’s price as reviewed: $107,050 

Manufacturer’s website: lucidmotors.com

Warranty:  Bumper-to-bumper: 3 years/unlimited miles

Warranty: Bumper-to-bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Powertrain, 8 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 10 years/unlimited miles; High-voltage battery, 8 years/100,000 miles; Roadside assistance, 4 years/50,000 miles; Body & paint, 4 years/unlimited miles; Supplemental Restraint System, 5 years/60,000 miles