3-Motor Lucid Air Sapphire Tremendous-Sports activities EV Debuts With Over 1,200 HP

California-based electrical automaker Lucid introduced a brand new three-motor variant of its flagship Lucid Air luxurious sedan right this moment. The Lucid Air Sapphire is the primary mannequin in Lucid’s new Sapphire efficiency sub-brand and is claimed to boast over 1,200 horsepower, which makes it essentially the most highly effective manufacturing sedan on this planet.

Lucid has been teasing large information this week with social media posts themed across the quantity 3, so the three-motor spec aimed squarely at Tesla’s Mannequin S Plaid isn’t any large shock. (The truth is, the automaker previewed the tri-motor {hardware} in 2020..) Nonetheless, the extent of claimed efficiency is staggering and Sapphire’s place as a efficiency model — not only a mannequin — implies that maybe high-power variants of Lucid’s upcoming Mannequin 3 rival and the just lately delayed Gravity SUV are additionally within the works.

The Air Sapphire’s rear axle now contains a pair of 500-kilowatt electrical motors, every with its personal energy unit and customized transaxle discount gear set. The entrance wheels share the identical single drive unit because the Air Dream and Grand Touring Efficiency fashions, making 670-horsepower. All in, Lucid states the Sapphire will make over 1,200 horsepower — sufficient energy to dash from 0 to 60 mph in underneath 2 seconds, to 100 in underneath 4 seconds and end the quarter-mile in underneath 9 seconds. High pace is said at over 200 mph. Vary estimates for the high-power mannequin have not but been up to date, however we count on to be taught extra nearer to subsequent 12 months’s launch.

Two motors on the rear axle allowed Lucid’s engineers to take the Air’s torque vectoring to the following degree with totally unbiased constructive and destructive torque software per wheel. That signifies that the Sapphire can apply energy to the surface wheel whereas slowing the within wheel with regenerative braking mid-turn, including yaw to assist rotate the sedan extra dynamically.

Talking of brakes, the Air Sapphire’s friction brakes see a considerable improve to assist the posh sedan deal with the calls for of its over 5,200 kilos of mass at breakneck speeds. Up entrance, 16.5-inch carbon ceramic discs are gripped by 10-piston (sure, 10!) calipers whereas the rear axle options 11.8-inch carbon discs and four-pot calipers. 

The stoppers could be peeped between the spokes of high-performance wheels with staggered sizing, 20 inches up entrance and bigger, wider 21s on the rear. The wheels are designed to optimize brake cooling and include a little bit of an effectivity hit, however Lucid will ship the Air Sapphire with particular carbon-fiber aero discs that may be fitted to the wheels with a easy heart locking nut to optimize aerodynamic slipperiness on the highway. In the identical vein, rides on specifically designed multicompound Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that mix low rolling resistance rubber for the middle treads to protect straight line vary and sticky Cup rubber on the shoulders to advertise most cornering adhesion because the Air rolls right into a flip.

The Air Sapphire’s wider stance is accommodated by 0.5-inch wider entrance over-fenders and 0.9-inch wider rears. The static coil suspension sits decrease, whereas the adaptive dampers and energy steering system have been retuned for the upper dealing with limits and race monitor obligation. Visually, the Sapphire additional distinguishes itself with carbon fiber wing mirror caps, entrance chin spoiler and a rear ducktail spoiler — the latter two bits being aerodynamically useful. Distinctive Sapphire Blue paint, California Bear and Sapphire model iconography and Lucid’s just lately introduced Stealth Look package deal are all additionally customary.

Inside, the Sapphire debuts Lucid’s new sport seats with deeper hip and midsection bolstering and grippy Alcantara upholstery. Sapphire Blue is echoed within the seat and steering wheel stitching, the ambient lighting across the cabin and in a singular theme for Lucid’s infotainment suite. Customers may also discover a new Sapphire drive mode, along with Easy and Swift, that unlocks the utmost efficiency with sub-settings optimized for straight-line pace, highway or monitor use. The system additionally options new lap timer and knowledge logging features.

Nicely-heeled EV fanatics in search of the highest-performing electrical sedan that cash can count on to drop $249,000 on the Lucid Air Sapphire when it goes into manufacturing within the first half of 2023. Orders open for the brand new line-topping mannequin starting at 9 a.m. PT on Aug. 23.