CEO Lucid Promises To Present Affordable EVs In 2030

Lucid Air Saphire. (Doc. Lucid)

JAKARTA - The automotive industry initially experienced anxiety regarding the distance from electric vehicles. However, Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson, who had previously worked on developing Tesla, Lotus, and Jaguar cars, emerged with an interesting solution.

He created the Lucid Air electric sedan to address concerns regarding travel distances and change the view of many people about the distance traveled by electric cars.

With an elegant and futuristic design, Lucid Air can cover a distance of up to 830 km without needing to be refilled, making it the longest electric car available on the market.

The company, which was founded in 2007, produces its vehicles in Arizona, USA and the production of its luxury car, Lucid Air Saphire for IDR 3.8 billion with a power of 1,234 dk and 161 Nm torque, will begin this month. Meanwhile, their first SUV, Lucid Gravity, will be disclosed in November.

If in the past Tesla started with the Model S luxury sedan as its flagship product, which then paved the way for the more affordable Model 3, Lucid also seems to want to follow in similar footsteps with plans to produce more affordable cars in the future.

In an interview with ABC News, September 3, Peter Rawlinson discussed the company's plans and the current condition of the auto industry. However, Rawlinson plans to focus on models that can attract a wider market segment.

"The main challenge for widespread adoption in the United States and around the world is the price of an electric car. I am very aware that we need to lower prices so that more people are able to own electric cars," he explained.

Currently, the Water from Lucid is still the cheapest priced at 82,400 US dollars or around Rp1.26 billion but this can all change in the next few years.

"We are targeting a price of around USD 50.000 (IDR 765 million). I want to be able to offer cars at a lower price, but this is the best this company can do in the middle of the decade," he added.

Rawlinson also believes that electric cars with large batteries and long distances will not always be the future. He stated that a very efficient car with a 25 kWh battery capable of traveling 241 km is enough if a short charging station is available.

He also added that developing a market share with more affordable cars is certainly the right step for Lucid. The key is how the company can find the right combination of technology and cost savings to build an attractive car at a lower price, while also expanding production to meet demand. And Tesla has done that over the last decade.