Lucid Motors reveals technology-packed sedan Lucid Air

Lucid Motors yesterday revealed the technology-packed sedan Lucid Air that could be a new force in luxury high-tech cars.

Lucid chief technology officer Peter Rawlinson told assembled reporters that the car would top out at $160,000 and in that price aimed to be "a private jet on four wheels."

Booking deposits for Lucid Air are currently available for $2,500 for an edition that would be priced starting at around $100,000 and $25,500 for the $160,000 Launch Edition whose independent dual rear seats almost reclined fully in the manner of first-class airplane seating. The company also  expected to offer a version at $65,000.

The Lucid Air comes with twin electric motors, front and rear, that between them delivered a staggering 1,000 horsepower; a wide array of Lidar, radar and cameras to enable autonomous driving; as also a range of 300 miles that could be increased to 400 as an option.

According to Lucid Motors, the company would be rolling out company stores to sell its vehicles, an echo of Tesla's showrooms. The stores would start opening in late 2017.

Lucid is initially targeting rolling out 10,000 vehicles, eventually ramping up to 60,000 "in three or four years," according to head of marketing Zak Edson.

According to commentators, the luxury vehicle was taking aim not only at Tesla's Model S but also traditional gas-powered cars like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The company would start production in 2018 at its Arizona factory.

The standard Air featured a 100 kWh battery, the same as what Tesla currently used in the Model S, though Lucid also planned to offer a 130 kWh option.

According to Lucid and its energy partner Samsung SDI that car had a range of 400 miles per charge.

The company said the Air would fill the luxury, sports car and commuter needs of drivers.