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The Lucid Air luxury sedan is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after electric cars of 2023. Now, we’re starting to understand why. The World Car Awards, presented at the 2023 New York Auto Show this week, recognized the Air as the World Luxury Car. It beat standouts like the new 2023 BMW 7 Series and the Genesis G90 for the honor.

What is the Lucid Air?

A Lucid Air parked in the driveway of a home.
Lucid Air | Lucid Media

If you haven’t heard of the Lucid Air, don’t feel bad. The Air is the first car from Lucid, a startup car manufacturer based in California. The company’s CEO came from Tesla, and it has set its sights squarely on the beating Elon Musk’s car company. It got a $1 billion investment in cash in 2019 and expects to build 400,000 cars annually.

The Air is the company’s first car, and it’s quickly earning praise. It starts at about $90,000 and has a 516-mile range, effectively crushing any range anxiety anyone may have. Inside, it has all the luxury features and soft-touch materials you could wish for. If you upgrade to the Sapphire model, however, hold on: it makes 1,200 horsepower and can accelerate to 60 mph in just 2.0 seconds. It not just fast on the road, it’s the fastest-charging EV on the market, too.

What do reviewers say about the Lucid Air?

Car and Driver was full of praise for the car, including its interior, technology, speed and of course, range. But the magazine said that the car’s interior doesn’t live up to its steep price tag.

MotorTrend, however, was more impressed. It was so impressed the editors there named it the Car of the Year for 2022. MotorTrend is more impressed with the Air’s interesting motor design (it’s built in house) and the technology behind the car. But, at the same time, MT said that it’s a “great looking, strong performing, tech-leapfrogging, car. Traditionally conservative Consumer Reports said that the car was “striking looking” and a great “conversation starter.” We can’t disagree as it looks like nothing else on the road.

The World Car Awards didn’t say why, exactly, the car won. But, there are more than 100 judges from around the world who pick the winners.

The Lucid Gravity is an upcoming SUV

2024 Lucid Gravity SUV Concept
New Lucid Gravity SUV | Lucid

The Air is grabbing all the headlines and awards, and probably worrying traditional car manufacturers. SUV manufacturers should start worrying now, too, as the company preps its Gravity SUV. The seven-seat Gravity SUV will compete with luxury SUVs from brands like Mercedes and BMW with an all-electric powertrain that promises to bring many of the award-winning features (and speed) of the Air.  

Related

New Lucid Gravity SUV: 7 Seats, Super Aero, but Is It Also Super Fast?

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.