Although Lucid has distinguished the 2022 Air into four well-thought-out variants, we believe the Grand Touring trim is the most well-laid out (although a bit expensive) in the Lucid Air lineup. No doubt, the Grand Touring models are on the pricey side, featuring a starting price tag of $131,500. The 2022 Lucid Air is built on the LEAP platform which is an acronym for ‘Lucid Electric Advanced Platform’ that focuses on miniaturizing everything. The dual-motor setup featured in the Grand Touring models put down a healthy 800hp still remaining very efficient with 517 miles of range. 

The built-in Wunderbox Battery charger is claimed to be the fastest EV charging system by the Lucid(with the 900V+ architecture) as it charges enough to cruise 300 miles just within 20 minutes. It also has bidirectional capabilities which are awesome. The microlens array headlights add some flair while providing the best visibility even in the worst conditions. The dynamic body linings and a sweeping speedform taillight make it clear how the engineers at Lucid have made the design flow throughout the Air body. The panoramic full glass canopy pleases the eye with a view of the sky. 

Everyone would fall in love with the futuristic technology embedded in the Lucid interiors, especially the 34-inch Glass cockpit panel. There is another retractable center tab-like panel that can hide in-dash when not needed to provide access to a cubby storage shelter. One can get immersed in the soothing and lively music played through the 21-speaker Surreal Sound System. The basic infotainment features like Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and Alexa integration add up to the convenience. Encompassing the Dream Drive Level 3 system which is one of the best Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Lucid puts the Air driver’s mind at ease. 

We Recommend

The sci-fi turned reality, quirky Lucid Air variants will be available shortly on roads in both high and low configurations. But despite being an expensive choice, we surely would recommend the Grand Touring models above all in the 2022 Lucid Air lineup. Why Grand Touring? Because depending on the final specs, it’s spacious, luxurious, powerful, efficient, stylish, and filled with commendable technology. It has five exterior color options, three-wheel options, and four interior color schemes to choose from. Apart from this, there are not many options to customize the car as it already packs in most of the things as standard costing more dearly than some other variants.

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring Release Date

The 2022 Lucid Air has been the most awaited EV of the decade, but the pandemic restrictions slowed the gear on the Lucid Air schedule. The Lucid CEO, Mr. Peter Lavinson already made it clear in February that sadly, the Air won’t hit the dealerships around spring 2021 as was announced earlier. Instead, he explained the restless journey they are in and how excited they are to get their customers behind the wheel of Lucid Air. 

They have been sticking to the pre-laid plans now and as he mentioned, the Lucid Air models are already under production. The reservations of the Lucid Air models have already started on the official website. In fact, the Air Dream Edition reservations have already closed as it was a limited edition model. That said, we feel it won’t take long enough for the Lucid Air to travel from production lines to the dealerships or ‘Lucid Studios’ as they prefer calling it. 

Since the hype of Lucid Air has built up, buyers, as well as manufacturers, are originally focused on the extreme performance offered by the limited production Air Dream Edition models. However, the exploded popularity of the most efficient Grand Touring variant saw the vehicle fold into a bit different direction. With a dual Active-core motor setup, the Air Grand Touring can score 800 horsepower complemented by the best range of 517 miles on a full charge which certainly helped to put a new spin on the model, although such a range is guaranteed only with the optional 19-inch wheel setup. This eventually shall prove to be a winning combination for Lucid Air.

Lucid Air is also surprisingly one of the most Aerodynamic cars in the world with a coefficient of drag as low as 0.21. The full-time all-wheel-drive configuration takes care of stability and composure even in rough weather. The GT furthermore gets Pirelli Split-35 profile summer tires to enhance the grip. All these three things mentioned above can collectively ensure high-speed stability and impart sensational cornering capabilities to the car. The Air GT is estimated to cruise past 60mph in mere 3 seconds and have a redline of 168mph. Together, the two top-end Lucid Air trims have made a name for themselves as possibly the bravest and most frugal electric cars around.

The Lucid Air is as light and elegant as it could possibly be. It has raised the bar for what a true luxury electric car should be, and how fast it should go without compromising its efficiency. The fact that it produces no emissions makes it even better. It maintains a low center of gravity and even the battery is designed and strategically placed in a manner to enhance the handling cues.
The Lucid is going in the right direction by manufacturing a luxury car that does not settle only for superb comfort, but also provides a Tesla-rivaling driving experience without the need to cut out trips short or plan halts gingerly for long trips. 

The charismatic performance of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S is the only one that outpaces the 2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring version. Except for the Porsche, all the others in the class have more or less similar acceleration figures, the Tesla Model S arriving a tad bit second later to the remaining models in 60mph tests. But the Tesla Model S covers a quarter-mile distance faster than the rest which compensates for the lag. The Lucid Air is the most powerful car in the class and has a redline of 168mph. Overall, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S seems to be the most engaging car, while the Audi e-tron is the last member to reach the finish line.

The Lucid Air Grand Touring has a magnificent range of 517 miles on a single charge for those times when you need to go further without many stops. It can get charged for 300 miles in just 20 minutes with fast charging, thanks to Lucid's built-in Wunderbox 113-kWh battery pack with DC fast-charging compatibility. A bidirectional capability which will be lately available is an interesting feature and might be useful if your home light goes off with important work at hand. In short, Lucid Air sets new standards in providing the most exhilarating driving experience for you without making you worry about planning out much on trips. The complimentary access to 350KW charging for 3 years across Electrified America makes it an awesome bargain. 

Undoubtedly, the Lucid Air Grand Touring is the best car amongst the rivals in terms of fast charging capabilities and driving range. It offers a handsome range of 517 miles. Even the Tesla Model S falls short here with almost about a 100 mile less range comparatively. But looking at the numerics of the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and Audi RS e-tron has already made us feel dizzy in a negative manner. The charging of the Lucid Air can be scheduled using an App. The charging port is located in the front and has a lighting system that indicates the status. The impeccable driving range is what makes Lucid Air stand out from the other rivals in the segment.

The Lucid Air Grand Touring interior is top quality and the number of luxury features available is off the charts. But there is a feature that stands out ahead of other regular EV cabins – the amazing view from the full Glass Canopy roof which is composed of protective interlayers that keeps the sunlight and heat at bay. The interiors are covered in Nappa full grain and premium natural grain leather in Lucid Black and Ceramic, trimmed in North American Walnut. The shades are designed such that they portray elegance and subdue the lines of contrast between the cabin and exterior environments. There are 4 tone shades available for the interiors - Santa Monica, Mojave, Santa Cruz, and Tahoe. All these are designed using palettes that put dark tones in front for driving spirit and lighter tones at the rear for relaxation and comfort.

The Tesla interiors are very spacious and filled with luxury. The seats don’t feel cramped and five passengers can be seated inside easily. The interiors are cozy and do not take much time to warm up during cold outside weather. The D-shaped steering wheel adds to the driver’s convenience. The center console and cubby spaces in the dash and door come in handy for placing regular stuff. There are also massaging seats to give premium-level comfort. There will also be an optional Executive rear seating package that would offer a jet-style experience allowing the two rear seats to recline way back. It has both - a trunk having an almost 23cu-ft capacity and a trunk having 10cu-ft capacity, which collectively combines to commodious storage space. 

The Audi RS e-tron GT is well-rounded in terms of passenger and cargo volumes. The rear seating in Audi RS e-tron GT is the roomiest of all with headroom of 38.6in., shoulder room of 57.2in., and legroom of 39.1 in. Also, the cargo carrying capacity tops out at 28.5cu-ft. The Lucid Air Grand Touring and Tesla Model S, both have a spacious row up front, but the rear rows in both struggle for a bit of extra space for seating 3 adults on long journeys. 

The Porsche Taycan Turbo S offers a seating capacity of only 4 passengers as compared to all others that can sit five. It also has the lowest amount of trunk capacity on offer amongst the rivals. The Tesla Model S offers a decent amount of 28.4cu-ft cargo volume, while the Lucid Air rests at 23.2 cu-ft. An interesting fact is that Lucid Air claims to offer the biggest frunk in the segment with a capacity of 10cu-ft. Some standout interior features of Lucid Air include:

• Full Glass Canopy roof
• Nappa full grain and premium natural grain leather
• 4 interior tone shades are available
• D-shaped steering wheel
• Executive rear seating package (opt.)

How intuitive is the car’s infotainment unit?

The electronic device collection forms an impressive set on the Lucid Air. The first thing about the infotainment system that an eye would notice is the driver-oriented curvy 34-inch floating screen. It is sub-divided into 3 sections - cluster, infotainment system, and third screen near the door for auxiliary controls. Another eye-catchy center tab-like screen is hidden in the dash which swipes out using the fingerprint activation. It can be used to dive deeper into navigation, audio, climate control, and a few other settings. 

With the fingerprint touch, it again slides inside the dash to reveal a short cubby space beneath. Not everything is left to the mercy of touch, but there are also some rocker buttons and knobs for making instant adjustments, and all have tactile feedback. Overall the system is designed and presented with an extremely luxurious, elegant, and high-quality design. There are also touch features to the extreme right of the 34-inch touchscreen which can’t be accessed while simultaneously driving. But you don’t get stuck as you can call out Alexa and she stays eager to help you out. Other features like navigation, Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and countless other apps are also compatible with the Lucid Air infotainment system. 

The most soothing experience is Lucid’s 21-speaker Surreal Sound System that disguises as if sitting in a live concert. Also, Air is the first car manufactured ever to take up the Dolby Atmos technology. With this, even the warning and alerts sound fascinating. The Lucid does not limit itself here but inculcates over-the-air updates in the Air models through the high-speed Ethernet-Ring data network to keep up pace with the advancing technological world. Some standout infotainment features include:

• 34-inch curvy floating screen
• Center hidden screen called Pilot Panel
• Amazon Alexa integration
• Navigation system 
• Apple Carplay & Android Auto connection
• 21-speaker Surreal Sound System
• Dolby Atmos technology

Potential buyers will fall, drooling, at a glance at the stunning Lucid Air Grand Touring design and style. The curvy front bumper gives a persona like a car is smiling at us. The sculpted flowing lines of the Lucid Air GT suggest the detailing Lucid engineers have focused on to make the design breathe. The Lucid badge on the front bumper strip, beneath which lies the sleek section accommodating Micro-lens array headlights brings the details and sophistication to light. 

The hood vents, splitter, and body stance low to the ground reveal the athletic character. The 21-inch Aero blade gloss black jet painted wheels with diamond-turned face are standard, but you have two wheel options - snazzy-looking 21-inch Aero lite with later availability, or the 19-inch Aero range which is a must, to get the higher claimed efficiency. The exteriors are painted in metallic color and there are five color options to choose from. 

The full glass canopy roof gives the exteriors a breathing touch and its surrounds are platinum polished. Not only the front end but even the rear end is designed to behold. Surely, the jaw-dropping features include the sloping roofline, clamshell-style decklid, sweeping Speedform taillight flanking the Lucid badge, and decklid spoiler. The interior-exterior concept of this car is inspired by the Californian landscapes and accomplished by a high-class type study of the luxury brand's DNA. Overall, the style, design, colors, and polish fit its aesthetic signature.

The Lucid Air Grand Touring has a longer wheelbase than any of the other cars, which accounts for a roomy cabin. The largest of the four cars is the Tesla Model S which offers 196 inches of length and 116 inches of wheelbase. After the Lucid Air, the next largest is the Audi e-tron hitting 115.3 inches of wheelbase despite being a few inches shorter than Porsche Taycan in overall length. But the Audi RS e-tron GT is the heftiest car weighing 5476lbs and it drives too high from the ground when compared to rivals. 

The next two in terms of weight are Porsche Taycan Turbo S and Tesla Model S which push the imperial system to limits of 5101lbs and 4941 lbs respectively. Although the curb weight of Lucid Air is not available, most of the numerics of Lucid Air are in a similar range as Tesla Model S, and Lucid has also adopted the minimalist strategy which suggests that Tesla and Lucid weights will likely also be closely grouped. Some standout exterior features of the Lucid Air Grand Touring include:

• Micro-lens array headlights
• 21-inch Aero blade wheels
• Full glass canopy roof 
• Clamshell-style decklid 
• Sweeping Speedform taillight 

The Lucid Air Grand Touring is a completely new model which doesn’t have safety ratings to suffice customer assurance. But Lucid has declared the safety of passengers as its first and foremost priority. So Lucid Air is designed on the concept of adventurous driving while sticking to rigorous safety standards. The car and its accessories, especially the battery pack are designed in a manner that gives it a low center of gravity reducing rollover risk, and improved handling is just another outcome of the same to avoid crashes. 

The bonded Aluminum frame offers great structural rigidity and 9 airbags are embedded to ensure the safety of everyone inside in accidental scenarios. Lucid knows that the sturdiness of the interior is also of particular importance for safety reasons. So they have laminated the canopy roof and windows that act as a safety barrier instead of shattering to pieces. Finally, bringing in the Dream Drive technology which is a suite of the most advanced driving assist technologies that use 32 sensors and LIDAR technology, the Lucid Air can make split second-decisions to ensure safety and avoid worst-case scenarios pre-handed. 

Specifically, the Grand Touring models offer automated driving up to Level 3 and the system can be updated over the air in the future. Also, the in-house designed Intelligent Microlens Array headlights adjust the visibility adapting to the outside environment, offering the best visibility even in the worst weather. Such safety orientation and advanced technology incorporation would surely suffice the customers that they are in safe hands. Some standout safety features include:

• 9 airbags
• Bonded Aluminum frame
• Laminated canopy roof and windows
• Dream Drive technology with Level 3 functionality
• Intelligent Microlens Array headlights

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs 2022 Tesla Model S

Both the cars are really fun to drive, provide immense haul-in power, and have best-in-class driving-assist technologies. Both the cars are good-looking and have sufficient space as well as creature comforts to boast about. But what separates them out is the pricing and driving range. The Tesla is base-priced at roughly 91 grand, while the Lucid Air Grand Touring asks for $130,000+. The Lucid Air Grand Touring promises around 517 miles of range, whereas Tesla Model S could get you up to 412 miles.

So you have to literally choose between 40 grand and 100 miles of extra range. But some factors could change the story for you. The first factor is the eligibility of Lucid Air for electric rebates, while Tesla does not enjoy this advantage anymore. The second factor is the 3 years of complimentary charging with Electrify America offered on Lucid Air, but mind you, the offer is available on the reservations made on or before 31 December 2021. Finally, choosing one between both is a matter of personal judgment.

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs 2022 Porsche Taycan Turbo S

We would like to keep it straight and simple here. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S offers just a bit better driving experience and is also faster than the Lucid Air. But Lucid Air Grand Touring combines swiftness and power with an efficiency of a 517-mile range, to which the Porsche’s 200-mile range is no comparison. The luxury and premium interiors of Porsche have an upper hand in the competition, but would that be enough? 

Especially considering the price tags of both the EVs, we need to say that the Lucid Air Grand Touring is a much better package than the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. But if you still have some doubts left and are not satisfied by the Grand Touring acceleration compared to Taycan Turbo S, we recommend you check out the Air Dream Edition of the Lucid Air lineup that outputs a whopping power of 1080hp, still has a range of 503 miles, and yet is lower priced than Porsche.

2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT

Both these EVs belong to different segments as the Audi RS e-tron GT is an SUV. Yet we have included it in the comparison because many folks probably seem confused with choosing between these two. The Lucid Air Grand Touring takes bat-like maneuvers very plausibly, thanks to the feathering aerodynamic capabilities. The performance and efficiency figures favor the Lucid Air Grand Touring, but if space is your major need, the Audi RS e-tron GT is the roomiest. As the interior room is the only advantage Audi can really offer, our call would be Lucid Air Grand Touring.

In the end, the Lucid Air Grand Touring really proves worthy by offering some sort of things better than each rival. Of course, an unmatched range of 517 miles is the strongest ground that Lucid Air Grand Touring builds upon, but the acceleration of Lucid Air also ties in with the range of rivals. The driving assistance technologies and design of the car impart impregnability. 

The comfort creatures and technology are amazeballs. Both cabin and storage spaces are roomy and capacious. Lucid Air Grand Touring is a bit expensive luxury EV on the market, and though it will all depend on personal taste, it surely has powerful traits to threaten the Tesla market despite the fact that Tesla Model S is a bit low-priced.