It's possible to spend a quarter-million dollars on a new Lucid Air Sapphire Edition, and even the “normal” Grand Touring trim starts at $154,000. Since almost nobody can afford an EV that costs five times the median income in this country, Lucid decided to come up with an “affordable” version of the Air. Called the Pure, the new entry-level trim starts at a still-expensive $87,400 before options, taxes, and destination. Lucid will introduce the car at an online event on November 15, prior to the Los Angeles auto show.

There’s no way around the fact that Lucid’s cheapest car is still more expensive than most automakers’ highest-end models, but the Pure does at least offer better range, power, and features than most other vehicles. Rear-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available. The powertrain produces 480 horsepower, and the car can achieve up to 406 miles of range per charge. Lucid says it can recover up to 300 miles in 22 minutes using fast charging.

The Lucid Air Pure’s price tag and specs are in line with non-Plaid versions of the Tesla Model S, while the other Air trims compete closely with the Tesla Model S Plaid. The sold-out Lucid Air Dream Edition’s range extends to 520 miles and delivers 933 horsepower. Those numbers shame the Model S Plaid’s 348-mile range, while the Air Grand Touring returns up to 516 miles and the Air Touring up to 406. 

[Image: Lucid Motors]

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