“HOLY CRAP! How is this even possible?!” The sheer disbelief echoed my thoughts as David Lickfold, Lucid’s vehicle dynamics maestro, piloted their brand-new SUV through winding canyon roads. The speed was simply breathtaking for a vehicle of this size. An SUV, no less! “OH my, is that oversteer?!” I couldn’t help but shout, a mix of terror and exhilaration in my voice, as he expertly navigated a turn, unleashing the full force of 828 horsepower and 909 lb-ft of torque. The Lucid Gravity, a three-row electric marvel, was dancing through corners, rewriting the rules of physics and, frankly, melting my brain in the process. “How are we pulling off these maneuvers in what’s essentially a luxurious minivan?” I wondered, the absurdity of it all hitting me. “This is utter madness!”
Madness, indeed. The Lucid Gravity might not scream “sports car” at first glance, but it redefines what an SUV can be. It’s not just another vehicle; it’s a statement from Lucid, a company known for pushing boundaries. Look at the Lucid Air, a sedan that not only boasts the longest range of any EV in the U.S. but also accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under 2 seconds, leaving supercars in its dust. Lucid isn’t in the business of building ordinary cars; they craft world-beaters.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity electric SUV showcasing its extended range capability, a key feature for potential EV owners seeking long-distance travel.
Lucid has already surpassed Tesla in performance with the Air. Now, with the Gravity, this California-based company, backed by significant Saudi Arabian funding, sets its sights on dominating the luxury electric SUV segment, aiming to outshine even the Rivian R1S, currently California’s top-selling large luxury EV SUV, at least from a technological perspective.
Unmatched Performance and Range
Let’s dive straight into the numbers that set the Lucid Gravity apart. This SUV boasts an EPA-estimated range of 450 miles on a single charge. Yes, you read that right – 450 miles in a seven-passenger vehicle. And when we say seven passengers, we mean seven adult passengers, not just a couple of jump seats suitable only for children.
Image alt text: Side profile of the Lucid Gravity highlighting its aerodynamic design and spacious cabin, emphasizing its long-range capability and passenger comfort.
But range is only part of the equation. While the Rivian R1S, with its massive 141 kWh battery, achieves a respectable 410 miles, it’s a different approach. Lucid dismisses simply throwing in a bigger battery as “dumb range.” Their focus is on “smart range” – maximizing efficiency to travel further with less energy. The Gravity achieves this, outperforming the Rivian R1S by 40 miles on a battery that’s approximately 20 kWh smaller, all while providing comparable interior volume.
Comparing the side profiles of the Gravity to competitors like the Rivian R1S (green) and the Chevrolet Suburban (red) reveals key design differences:
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s aerodynamic silhouette compared to Rivian R1S and Chevrolet Suburban, illustrating its lower profile and reduced frontal area for enhanced efficiency.
The Gravity sits lower and presents a significantly smaller frontal area, contributing to its impressive aerodynamics. Its rounded design results in a drag coefficient of just 0.24 – a figure Lucid attributes to their chief aerodynamicist’s background at Red Bull Racing. This is substantially lower than the Rivian’s, translating to significant efficiency gains.
This focus on efficiency has a ripple effect. The Lucid Gravity’s impressive 3.6+ mi/kWh efficiency allows for a smaller battery than the less efficient Rivian (2.85 mi/kWh). A smaller battery not only saves space, leading to more interior volume, but also reduces curb weight (by over 800 pounds, according to initial reports), enhancing handling and ride quality. Furthermore, it improves charging speed – Lucid promises adding 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes – and reduces costs due to the smaller battery pack. The benefits of Lucid’s efficiency-first approach are multifaceted and profound.
So, we’ve established the Lucid Gravity’s credentials as a large, efficient, and powerful SUV. But how does it perform when the road gets twisty?
Driving Dynamics: Sports Car Handling in an SUV
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity navigating a sharp turn, demonstrating its agile handling and dynamic performance capabilities on winding roads.
Image alt text: Close-up view of Lucid Gravity’s front wheel during cornering, showcasing its advanced suspension system and responsive steering for precise control.
Let’s revisit my initial experience being driven by David Lickfold, a true “surgeon” behind the wheel. The way he commanded the Gravity through the canyons was nothing short of breathtaking. He’d launch the seven-seater from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.4 seconds, effortlessly navigate corners with a touch of understeer transitioning into controlled oversteer, and then apply those incredible brakes with pinpoint accuracy. It was automotive ballet, a mesmerizing display of control and power that left me feeling slightly nauseous.
Image alt text: Humorous photo of the reviewer experiencing the intense driving dynamics of the Lucid Gravity, highlighting the vehicle’s exhilarating yet potentially stomach-churning performance.
Image alt text: Another perspective of the reviewer inside the Lucid Gravity during spirited driving, emphasizing the dynamic experience and passenger reactions to the vehicle’s handling.
When I took the wheel myself, the Gravity impressed just as much. In “Sprint Mode,” body roll was minimal, the brakes were strong, and the acceleration out of corners was simply phenomenal. The vehicle felt remarkably balanced and composed. What truly stood out was its versatility, seamlessly adapting its demeanor based on the selected drive mode.
While many cars offer drive modes and adaptive damping, the Gravity’s “triple valve” air springs with three distinct spring rates, coupled with “infinite damping adjustment,” elevate the experience to a new level. Lucid aimed for a Range Rover-like ride in the smoothest setting and Porsche Cayenne/Aston Martin DBX-like handling in the stiffest – and they’ve largely succeeded.
In its softest mode, road imperfections like expansion joints and cracks virtually disappeared. Switching to a more dynamic setting like “Sprint Mode” transformed the Gravity, tightening up the suspension, allowing a controlled degree of road feel, and sharpening cornering precision. While the softest setting felt slightly underdamped over larger bumps, sportier modes revealed a completely different, more athletic personality.
Image alt text: Interior view of the Lucid Gravity’s steering wheel and digital display, focusing on the driver-centric cockpit and advanced control interfaces for performance driving.
The “squirkle” steering wheel, designed to optimize screen visibility, was a welcome touch. The interior quality felt premium, and despite its large size, the Gravity felt surprisingly nimble, perhaps due to excellent visibility and the four-wheel steering system with its tight 38-foot turning circle. It felt significantly smaller than its generous interior volume would suggest.
Spacious and Luxurious Interior
Image alt text: Reviewer comfortably seated in the third row of the Lucid Gravity, demonstrating ample legroom and headroom for adult passengers even in the rearmost seats.
The interior space of the Lucid Gravity is truly remarkable. In the image above, you can see me in the third row, with plenty of legroom to spare. Even the roofline provides ample headroom. My six-foot-plus cameraperson, Griffin, also confirmed comfortable seating in the third row. The Lucid Gravity’s third row is genuinely adult-friendly.
Image alt text: Close-up of Lucid Gravity’s third-row seating area, emphasizing the legroom and overall spaciousness designed for passenger comfort.
Image alt text: Headroom in the third row of Lucid Gravity, showing sufficient vertical space even for taller occupants, highlighting the thoughtful interior packaging.
Lucid meticulously designed the vehicle around its powertrain and battery pack to maximize occupant space. The rear seat sits just above the rear drive unit, with a footwell positioned cleverly ahead.
Image alt text: Diagram illustrating Lucid Gravity’s intelligent packaging, showing the placement of the battery pack and drive unit to optimize interior space and passenger legroom.
Behind the rear drive unit/axle, a deep well allows the rear seats to fold completely flat, maximizing cargo space.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s third-row seats folded flat, demonstrating the expanded cargo area and versatility for hauling larger items.
The second-row folding mechanism is even more impressive. At the touch of a button, the seats automatically fold and tumble forward:
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s second-row seats in their upright position, showcasing the standard seating configuration before folding.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s second-row seats partially folded, illustrating the initial stage of the automatic folding and tumbling mechanism.
Resulting in a massive cargo area:
Image alt text: GIF animation showing the Lucid Gravity’s second-row seats automatically folding and tumbling forward to maximize cargo space in the electric SUV.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity with second and third-row seats folded, revealing the extensive cargo capacity and flat loading floor, ideal for large items or gear.
The cargo floor isn’t perfectly flat due to the rear footwell, but Lucid plans to offer accessories to create a completely flat surface for activities like car camping.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s cargo area with a slight step in the floor, indicating the footwell for the third-row seats when upright, and the potential for accessories to create a flat surface.
Image alt text: Mockup of a flat cargo floor accessory for Lucid Gravity, demonstrating how the vehicle can be adapted for camping and other activities requiring a level surface.
The front trunk (frunk) offers an additional 8.1 cubic feet of storage, and can even be optioned with a cushion, transforming it into a surprisingly comfortable park bench.
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Beyond the frunk and expansive cargo area, the Gravity boasts numerous other storage solutions, including a deep center console, a glovebox operated via the touchscreen, and deep bins on either side of the rear cargo floor.
Image alt text: Rear cargo area of Lucid Gravity showing a deep storage bin on the side, illustrating the vehicle’s focus on maximizing storage solutions for practicality.
Image alt text: Another view of Lucid Gravity’s rear cargo area with a side storage bin, highlighting the vehicle’s thoughtful design for organized storage and utility.
Lucid’s own illustration further emphasizes their focus on maximizing interior volume through intelligent design:
Cutting-Edge Cabin Technology
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s “Clearview Cockpit” featuring the expansive 34-inch OLED display and the 12.6-inch center touchscreen, showcasing its advanced infotainment system.
Having established the Lucid Gravity as a dynamically superior, space-efficient, and energy-efficient three-row SUV, let’s explore the cabin experience.
Lucid’s “California Modern Interiors” philosophy emphasizes sustainable materials, including walnut orchard waste-wood, recycled fishing nets for carpeting, and recycled water bottles for textiles. The interior is available in various color schemes, with the lighter option creating an airy and inviting atmosphere.
Image alt text: Interior detail of Lucid Gravity showing the sustainable materials and light color scheme, reflecting the “California Modern Interiors” design philosophy.
The driver-centric “Clearview Cockpit” features a massive, single-piece 34-inch OLED display and a tilted 12.6-inch center touchscreen. This setup, similar to systems found in models like the Lincoln Nautilus, is becoming an industry trend, offering a wide, immersive display that minimizes eye movement away from the road. The dual screens facilitate multitasking and reduce menu-diving while driving.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s Augmented Reality Head-Up Display (AR HUD) projecting navigation arrows onto the road ahead, demonstrating its advanced driver assistance technology.
An optional Augmented Reality Head-Up Display (AR HUD) further enhances the driving experience by projecting information directly onto the driver’s line of sight. Navigation instructions, for example, are “painted” onto the road ahead, ensuring drivers don’t miss turns. While I couldn’t test it firsthand, the AR HUD promises to be a valuable feature.
The Gravity also includes a “Sanctuary Mode,” designed to create a tranquil in-cabin experience inspired by California’s natural landscapes. This mode adjusts lighting, audio, massage seats, climate control, and video screens to create a “multi-sensory immersion” experience. While it might sound a bit esoteric, for those seeking in-car relaxation and stress reduction, it could be a welcome feature.
Engineering Excellence and Design Compromises
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity’s front fascia emphasizing its aerodynamic design and sleek lines, reflecting the engineering focus on efficiency and performance.
Lucid’s “compromise nothing” ethos is particularly challenging to apply to an SUV, a vehicle category inherently prone to compromises, as Lucid’s Sr. VP Derek Jenkins acknowledged. Historically, SUVs have traded efficiency for off-road capability, performance, or size. Lucid, however, is deeply committed to maximizing efficiency, making the Gravity a significant engineering undertaking.
Lucid representatives repeatedly emphasized “divergent attributes” and “opposite ideals” that the Gravity aimed to reconcile, breaking the traditional SUV mold by excelling across the board. They have largely succeeded, leveraging the inherent advantages of EVs, advanced technologies like air suspension, rear steering, and adaptive damping, and, crucially, Lucid’s relentless focus on reducing Vehicle Demand Energy.
Lucid’s Chief Engineer Eric Bach highlighted three key enablers: minimizing powertrain size to maximize space (a point also emphasized by CEO Peter Rawlinson), maximizing powertrain and aerodynamic efficiency, and “jelly-setting” – prioritizing optimal passenger space from the outset, forcing engineering innovation to meet those spatial requirements.
Lucid also heavily relies on advanced simulation tools, validated to near-perfect accuracy against physical testing. This high-fidelity simulation significantly accelerates development and reduces the need for excessive safety margins in design, contributing to weight and cost optimization.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity undergoing wind tunnel testing, illustrating the extensive aerodynamic optimization and simulation processes employed to enhance vehicle efficiency.
The Lucid Gravity Does Indeed Make Compromises, And One Is A Big One
Despite Lucid’s “no compromise” claim, the Gravity, like any vehicle, involves trade-offs. The most apparent compromises are price and off-road capability. The Gravity Grand Touring starts at $94,900, with a Touring version arriving later in 2025 at $79,900. While competitive with rivals like the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S, the Gravity remains a premium-priced vehicle.
Image alt text: Lucid Gravity driving on a paved road, highlighting its on-road focus and hinting at the compromises made in off-road capability for superior efficiency and handling.
Off-road capability is clearly limited. Despite 9 inches of ground clearance, the Gravity’s approach and departure angles are not designed for serious off-roading. It can handle mild terrain, but challenging trails are beyond its scope.
These compromises – price and off-road prowess – are understandable trade-offs for achieving class-leading range and performance in a three-row SUV. However, a third compromise is more subjective and potentially more significant: styling.
Image alt text: Front three-quarter view of Lucid Gravity, prompting consideration of its styling and whether it aligns with consumer expectations for a luxury electric SUV.
Lucid’s mission statement prioritizes performance, efficiency, and space over design, hinting at a possible engineering-led design approach. While Lucid’s engineering focus is admirable, in the luxury EV market, design carries significant weight.
Image alt text: Side profile of Lucid Gravity emphasizing its aerodynamic shape, suggesting a design driven by engineering principles focused on efficiency rather than purely aesthetic appeal.
The Gravity’s design, while functional and aerodynamic, might be perceived by some as less visually striking than expected in this price category, perhaps resembling a minivan more than a high-end SUV. David Lickfold’s quote, suggesting the Gravity’s design represents “the future of the SUV” focused on efficiency and usability, reinforces the idea that engineering dictated the styling.
This engineering-first approach to design might be a misstep. Range, price, and style are all critical factors in the EV market. Even Tesla, with the Model X, incorporated distinctive Falcon-Wing doors to add “pizazz” to its somewhat jellybean-shaped SUV. Toyota prioritized style in the new Prius, even accepting a slight aerodynamic compromise, and sales have benefited.
Image alt text: Rear view of Lucid Gravity, inviting viewers to consider its overall design and whether it meets the aesthetic expectations of luxury SUV buyers.
Personally, I appreciate the Gravity’s engineering and performance, and I find its design appealing despite its potential lack of overt “wow” factor. However, the average consumer might expect more visual flair for a near-six-figure SUV, potentially finding its resemblance to a Chrysler Pacifica concerning.
Ultimately, in striving for a “no compromise” SUV, Lucid may have made its biggest compromise in the realm of styling. Whether this will impact its market success remains to be seen.
Images: Lucid, David Tracy, Griffin Riley
