The Lucid Air EV is due to launch later this week, with the manufacturer announcing details of its powertrain ahead of the event. The car will feature an in-house developed motor, power electronics and battery system, with a headline peak power rating of 1,080bhp from the dual motors, coupled with a claimed range of 517 miles.
“Our watchword has been ‘focus’ since day one at Lucid – a focus on sound engineering principles, a focus on creating efficiencies, and a focus on maximizing power to create a world-class EV,” said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Motors.
“When the Lucid Air comes to market next spring, the world will see that we have developed the best electric vehicle technology possible by a wide margin and effectively created a new benchmark for EVs. The result is nothing short of a technological tour de force in every facet upon which a luxury performance car is measured.”
The drivetrain is centered around two, permanent magnet electric motors, which, when combined with an integrated transmission and differential, weigh at 74kg each. The system will run at 900V, with the motors having a maximum operating speed of 20,000 rpm, considerably higher than most production car units.
The company states that this performance is achieved through the use of a new motor winding approach said to reduce electrical losses, while the motors also feature a cooling system that more effectively removes heat from the stator winding, further minimizing losses. Electrical efficiency is also improved through the use of SiC MOSFETs in the inverters.
Lucid says it has conducted over 20 million miles of real-world testing in the development of its 113kWh extended-range battery packs. The company notes that its motorsport experience, via its technology division Atieva – which designed, developed, manufactures and supplies the battery packs for the Formula E racing series – has proved invaluable in achieving high energy and power density from the packs.
