Gravity

Segment
SUV

Lucid Motors recently filed a series of patent images with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. A total of six design sketches were posted on the Lucid Forum, providing a clear technical look at the upcoming all-electric SUV scheduled for a 2023 release.

We've known for a while that Lucid is working on an SUV under the codename Project Gravity. The company released a few teaser images last year, and the patent sketches confirm that Lucid will stay true to that design. As expected, the Gravity SUV draws heavily on the Air sedan. Not just in terms of style but also underneath the skin. While platform sharing has yet to be confirmed, it's improbable Lucid would design a completely different platform for the Gravity.

Design-wise, the Gravity will be a high-riding version of the Air, sharing the same aggressive headlights and taillights that stretch between the C-pillars. Considering Lucid is a startup, using a homogenous design language is a good move. Both models have eye-catching designs, which is precisely what you want when trying to lure potential customers away from Tesla.

It's impossible to judge the Gravity's length from the design sketches, but it appears to share a wheelbase with the Air. The rear overhang is lengthy, however. This points to the Gravity possibly being a seven- or eight-seater, taking the fight directly to the Tesla Model X.

No performance details are available yet, but it's safe to assume that Lucid will use the same dual electric motor setup as the Air. With an electric motor on each axle, a full-time four-wheel-drive system is standard. The available outputs range from 480 horsepower to a colossal 1,080 hp. According to Lucid, the 1,080 hp version of the Air will blast to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds.

Will the Gravity be able to do the same? It's unlikely given the inevitability of additional weight and less efficient aerodynamics. Still, high-end EVs tend to leave automotive fans reevaluating their definition of what fast is. Suffice to say that it will be fast enough to induce Coachella-like volumes of barf from the kids if you step on it at every opportunity.

In terms of range, we don't know what to expect. We have projected figures for the Air sedan (from 406 miles to 503 miles), but there are too many new factors at play to make a reasonable call.

As an off-roader, it should be epic. An electric powertrain is ideally suited to off-roading, removing the need for low-range gearing. All that's needed is a set of driving maps for various conditions, and the Gravity should easily keep up with a Land Rover Defender. From the images we've seen so far, the Gravity appears to have decent ground clearance.

Should Tesla be worried about this all-new electric off-roader from an equally all-new manufacturer? The evidence points to the answer being a resounding yes. Late last year, Elon Musk lowered the Tesla Model S price shortly after Lucid unveiled the Air's pricing. Some see this as throwing down the gauntlet, but it could also be interpreted as the actions of a worried man. Either way, his concern is a massive compliment to Lucid.