Lucid Air Sapphire 70-MPH Range Test: Here's The Downside To All That Power

"The Lucid Air can be the most efficient, the longest-range or the quickest accelerating EV. But it can't be all three at once. Opt for the 1,234-horsepower Sapphire model and you'll give up a lot of range, as Out Of Spec proved in its recent video. There has always been an efficiency penalty for grippier tires and more aggressive aero, but it's even bigger in the electric era."

"The Lucid Air is the most efficient electric car on sale in the U.S. But that's really only true if you get the lightest, slipperiest model, the Lucid Air Pure. The Air is also the longest-range EV, yet again only if you get the right model. While the Grand Touring offers a world-beating 512 miles of range, the high-performance Sapphire gets "just" 427 miles of EPA range. And if you're on the highway, expect a lot less than that."

"These 70-mph tests, and the ones performed by State of Charge, are my favorites because they represent the median U.S. road trip scenario. Speed limits vary wildly, and since high speeds are exponentially less efficient in EVs, you need to know how it handles a brisk 70-mph trip. The Environmental Protection Agency is of less help here. The agency's test cycle is a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving. That roughly represents America's overall driving split, but it's a particularly bad fit for EVs."

Lucid Air model choices trade off efficiency, range, and acceleration. The Pure is the lightest, slipperiest, and most efficient model, while the Grand Touring achieves an EPA 512-mile range. The high-performance Sapphire produces 1,234 horsepower but is rated at 427 EPA miles and loses substantially more range at highway speeds. Highway tests at 70 mph show real-world range falls well below EPA figures because high speeds and grippier performance tires increase drag and rolling resistance. The EPA's 55% city / 45% highway test mix understates highway impacts for long road trips.

Read at insideevs.com