U.S.-based electric carmaker Lucid has unveiled what it called the world’s first luxury supersports sedan running on electric power, the most powerful four-door EV on the market and the highest-power sedan on record driven by three motors capable of exceeding 1,200 horsepower (1,217 PS / 895 kW).
The supercar has one electric motor on the front axle and two in the back, installed one per wheel. It needs less than two seconds for its 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) launch and less than four to hit 100 mph (161 km/h).
The automaker also expects it to be able to cover the quarter-mile drag strip in under nine seconds, surpassing even the Tesla Model S Plaid, its main competitor. Some drivers managed to score 8.8 seconds with the Plaid, but most reported times exceeding 9 s. The Tesla is also officially rated as a sub-2-second car in terms of launch, but its power is still lower than that of the Sapphire at 1,033 PS (1,019 hp / 760 kW).
Nothing has been revealed yet regarding the battery capacity and range. Lucid promises carbon-ceramic brakes as part of the standard equipment, stiff suspension springs and tuned shocks, ABS, torque vectoring, as well as improved ESP and power steering features.
The wheels are sized 20” front and 21” rear, with the option of aerodynamic carbon-fiber rims. Lucid claims that placing two motors at the rear end makes the car more stable in corners and maneuverable at lower accelerations, enabling the electronics on board to regen-brake the inner wheel and redirect the torque to the outer wheel when necessary.
The production is set to begin in the first half of 2023, but the pre-orders can be placed starting from tomorrow, August 23. Prices are expected to begin at $249,000 USD before options.