Following a similar trajectory as other automobile types, the evolution of EVs from a box that met basic needs to more luxurious accommodations offering optimal performance has taken some time. However, Lucid Motors’ Lucid Air Sapphire rises above other modern EVs with its unique combination of luxury and power. 

The new Lucid Air Sapphire

Lucid Motors introduced the Sapphire in August 2022 as the “embodiment of what ultra-high-performance luxury means to Lucid,” according to Derek Jenkins, SVP of Brand and Design. The Sapphire employs Lucid’s first-ever three-motor powertrain to deliver an industry-leading 1,200 hp through the active AWD system.

That makes the Sapphire the most powerful sedan ever produced, electric or otherwise. However, generating 1,200 hp produces substantial heat, requiring advanced cooling technology like “Lucid’s microjet stator cooling,” an updated rear-drive heat exchanger with higher coolant flow rates, and an upgraded battery system with thermal logic. 

Although the Lucid Air Sapphire is still in pre-production, estimates indicate that Lucid’s performance efforts will pay off with 0-to-60 mph times in under two seconds and a sprint from 0 to 100 mph in under four seconds. Additional estimates predict standing quarter-mile times under nine seconds at over 200 mph straight from the factory. 

What makes the Lucid Air Sapphire special?

While the Lucid Air Sapphire is the most powerful sedan in the world, other EVs also deliver blistering performance at half the cost, but they don’t have the same level of luxury found in the Air Sapphire. For example, the design’s intelligent use of space employs a trio of small, efficient motors designed to retain Sapphire’s commitment to luxury.

In addition, because the Air Sapphire’s design team included the high-tech torque-vectoring three-motor powertrain from the beginning, it can accommodate substantial interior legroom, a large trunk and frunk space, and a class-leading 410-mile range. 

Although the Sapphire model’s suspension utilizes unique damper settings, stiffer bushings and springs, and special ABS tuning, it retains Lucid Air’s plush ride quality. In addition, the Sapphire Mojave trim features 18-way power sport seats covered in Lucid Black leather with contrasting Alcantara trim and Sapphire Blue stitching. These racing-inspired seats provide excellent support and comfort with heating, cooling, and massage functions. 

Is the Lucid Air Sapphire better than the Tesla Model S Plaid?

The Lucid Air Sapphire dominates the Tesla Model S Plaid in every way except price – at least on paper. Therefore, comparing the Sapphire version to the Model S Plaid is only an apples-to-apples comparison if you consider it from a performance perspective. Like the Lucid Air Sapphire, the Model S Plaid boasts sub-two-second 0-to-60 mph acceleration. 

Compared to the Lucid vehicle, the high-end Tesla’s spartan interior and futuristic exterior fall flat from an EV costing north of $100,000. However, when the Sapphire becomes available on a limited-production basis, its $249,000 projected price will likely make the Plaid more attractive. Nevertheless, even at that staggering price, the Sapphire will probably sell out soon after the ordering window opens. 

The good news is that Lucid’s press release introducing the Sapphire calls this initial version “the first Sapphire, and certainly not the last.” The potential for other Lucid Sapphire models on the drawing board means the future of what Lucid calls “ultra-high-performance vehicles” is bright indeed.