Fast start: Startup Lucid’s first electric vehicle is MotorTrend Car of the Year – WRAL Tech Wire

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Enterprise

The Lucid Air, The primary mannequin from California-based mostly electrical automotive start-up agency Lucid Motors, has been named MotorTrend’s 2022 Car of the Yr.

It’s The primary time any automaker has gained the award with its first automotive. MotorTrend’s panel of judges lauded the Lucid Air for its extraordinary differ and effec…….

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By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Enterprise

The Lucid Air, The primary mannequin from California-based mostly electrical automotive start-up agency Lucid Motors, has been named MotorTrend’s 2022 Car of the Yr.

It’s The primary time any automaker has gained the award with its first automotive. MotorTrend’s panel of judges lauded the Lucid Air for its extraordinary differ and effectivity — some fashions can go As a lot as 520 miles on a single cost — As properly as to its efficiency And opulent inside.

In its announcement, MotorTrend referred to as the Air “The mannequin new [electrical car] benchmark.” The Air’s electrical motors have been developed by Lucid itself. With no space taken up by a gasoline engine, the Air has An monumental cabin space with ample Space for storing Inside the trunk As properly as to beneath the hood.

Whereas the judges usually appreciated the Air’s inside design, they did criticize what they noticed as an over-reliance on contact screens For A lot of primary controls. The judges praised the automotive’s Lucid-designed stereo-system.

It’s not The primary time a start-up automaker has gained the award. The Tesla Model S gained it in 2012. However the Model S was Tesla’s second automotive, after the Tesla Roadster. The Air is Lucid’s first automotive, and it solely recently went into manufacturing.

Regardless of its extreme value, MotorTrend’s judges thought the Lucid Air represented A strong worth. They examined the Grand Touring mannequin with a starting worth round $140,000. Much less costly fashions, with prices starting round $77,000, Shall be out there later, however they gained’t have the driving differ and power of the pricier automotives.

Lucid’s CEO, Peter Rawlinson, as quickly as labored at Tesla and helped engineer the Model S. In creating the Lucid Air, he has said, effectivity has been a primary focus. The Lucid Is definitely In all probability the most power environment nice electrical automotive purchased in America, Based on EPA estimates.

The MotorTrend Car of the Yr award is given to automotives And by no means vans or SUVs, for which there are separate awards. To be eligible, automotives Want to be utterly new or considerably redesigned for the mannequin year. Completely different finalists included the Mercedes-Benz EQS, additionally absolutely electrical, As properly as to the gasoline-pohave beend Mercedes-Benz S-class, Hyundai Sonata and Honda Civic.

The automotives differ monumentally in worth, measurement and efficiency, however all have been judged based mostly on effectivity, worth, development in design, engineering excellence, safety, and efficiency of its meant carry out, Based on MotorTrend. The automotives have been examined on public roads As properly as to at Hyundai’s California proving grounds.

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Source: https://www.wraltechwire.com/2021/11/15/fast-start-startup-lucids-first-electric-vehicle-is-motortrend-car-of-the-year/