U.S. startup Lucid Group said on Tuesday it will begin deliveries of luxury electric sedans that beat Tesla driving range in October.
The startup started production of its long-delayed Lucid Air cars at its Arizona factory on Tuesday, and said it aims to increase the plant’s capacity up to 90,000 vehicles annually in the next two years.
The top-end Lucid Air Dream Edition will be available in October, followed by less expensive models: Grand Touring, Touring and Air Pure. The startup said it has received over 13,000 reservations for Lucid Air models, and it has boosted the planned total production of the Lucid Air Dream Edition to 520 vehicles.
A version of the Lucid Air Dream Edition, priced at $169,000, gained an official U.S. government rating of a 520-mile (837 km) driving range, more than 100 miles higher compared to its closest rival, Tesla’s Model S, which is priced at $89,990.
Lucid Chief Executive Officer Peter Rawlinson, a former chief engineer on the Tesla Model S, said his company’s vehicles have an advantage in battery technology and costs over the Model S.
“We’ve ridden customers of the fear of range anxiety,” Rawlinson said. “The next big obstacle is cost-effectiveness of electric cars. We’ve got to get the cost down.”
Air Pure, the least expensive version with a price of $77,400, will go into production late next year, Rawlinson said.
