Tesla tests Lucid Air

Tesla has put a Lucid Air with more than 800km range on its test track.

Electrek reports it has seen many automotive manufacturers benchmark and reverse-engineer Tesla vehicles, but rarely the other way around, adding that Lucid and Tesla have a long, tumultuous history.

A drone flyover of Tesla’s Fremont factory spotted what appears to be a Lucid Air being driven on Tesla’s test track there, doing a few laps and launches from standstill.

Electrek says GM was recently seen benchmarking a Tesla Model S Plaid and a Model 3 at its Michigan facilities.

Lucid is ramping up deliveries of its electric sedan in the US where it can be reserved.

The Lucid Air Touring starts at US$95,000, the Lucid Air Pure expected later in 2022 at about US$77,400, while the Grand Touring and Dream Edition models can be ordered for about US$139,000 and US$170,500 respectively.

Earlier this year, Lucid reportedly cut its production forecast for 2022 to under about 14,000 EVs from an initial target of 20,000, citing extraordinary supply chain and logistics challenges.

It is also considering price rises, along with some other EV manufacturers, due to supply issues and raw material availability and price increases – including nickel, mainly caused by Russia’s war in the Ukraine.