New startup automaker Lucid Motors has unveiled their luxury executive car, the Air. This car features 1,000 horsepower and a claimed 400-mile range in an executive sedan that is all about the back seat.
Batteries for the Air will be provided by Samsung, thanks to a newly-penned agreement. The prototype electric vehicle (EV) will begin production in late 2018 and will be sold to the high-end crowd at “over $100,000.” Lucid claims that the Air is autonomous-ready and will include ongoing software updates to keep the self-driving relevant (ala Tesla). The car will not, however, actually be autonomous when it rolls off the factory line. Lucid was careful to note that it is “autonomous-ready” not “autonomous.”
Lucid says the car is prepared for autonomous driving and is outfitted with two long- and four short-range radar sensors, two long- and two-short range lidar units, three front cameras, a driver-monitoring camera, and five active surround-view cameras. Many of these sensors and cameras are found up front. At the back there are LED taillights and several more autonomous sensors.
The Air ultra-slim lighting system mimics insect eyes by utilizing thousands of micro-lenses. The self-adjusting headlights, which optimally adapt to each driving situation, improve energy efficiency by up to 50% compared to conventional LED headlights, the company says.
