As an editor currently driving MotorTrend's year-long Lucid Air test car, this writer can't tell you how many times he's wished for a cabin with more space. Because what we found is that people of different heights—not just tall people—are at risk of hitting their heads when flying in the air. Some people also find the Air's driving position a bit cramped.
Enter Lucid Gravity 2025—no, you have a better chance of getting into it without a headache. This thoroughly modern SUV is tall enough for smoother entry and exit but has a long, low stance that reminds us of the Isuzu Axiom from the early 2000s. (Don't remember? Appeared in The Spy Kid—still nothing?) Still, any fan of the Air sedan will recognize the Gravity as part of the Lucid family.
However, we suspect it's no coincidence that Lucid shows us Gravity at one of its higher suspension heights. At its lowest suspension height and especially with its smaller wheels, the sleek Gravity will look almost car-like, the opposite of the boxy, adventurous Rivian R1S. To each their own, right?
As for the Gravity, two-row, five-seat three-row, and seven-passenger versions will be available. We're told a six-passenger Gravity with second-row captain's chairs is being considered for a later date.
Also new to Lucid? An available rear-wheel steering system and air suspension adjust automatically based on speed. These two technologies can make a big difference in ride quality, low-speed handling, and overall driving experience if executed well. When Gravity goes on sale in the second half of 2024, we'll see if Lucid can introduce these features without too many bugs at launch.
Electric SUV With 500 Mile Range?
Lucid's engineering excellence has taken the electric car world by storm with a luxury sedan that is fast, fun to drive, efficient, and still capable of a range of more than 500 miles by EPA standards for certain models. It's second to none in the luxury car segment, and we have high hopes for the 2025 Gravity SUV as a result.
Using what Lucid says is a new platform from the Air, the Gravity has updated motors and a drag coefficient of just under 0.24 (on select trims), although details are slim at this point. We know that the floor heights for the two batteries will not be different; in the Air, you get about three inches of rear-seat legroom by not using the larger battery, which compromises passenger legroom.
Don't expect the Gravity to achieve a 500-mile range, unless perhaps you're driving it down a very, very long hill. In contrast, expect at least one Gravity trim to achieve a range of at least 440 miles. The Tesla Model Lucid claims the Gravity can also add 200 miles of range in 15 minutes thanks to a 300 kW charging rate.
Towing And Off-Roading
Twin-engine all-wheel drive will be standard on the 2025 Gravity, although the company hasn't ruled out a single-engine rear-drive version. If enough customers like the Gravity and don't need the price cut that the Air did, the rear-drive Gravity probably won't happen.
Right now, looking at our photos of the 2025 Gravity, you can probably tell that the Lucid isn't a rock cruiser like the R1S. However, the Gravity does have an off-road mode that sets the air suspension height at the highest setting with full torque access—sounds fun. We wonder what the ground clearance will be like on an SUV that looks ready for a road like this. Wheel options include 20 inches front with 21 inches rear, 21 inches front with 22 inches rear, or 22 inches front with 23 inches rear.
Towing capacity tops out at 6,000 pounds, which is 1,700 pounds less than what you can tow in a Rivian R1S or Audi Q7 but more pounds than the Air sedan can haul.
Acceleration from 0-60 mph can be achieved in just 3.5 seconds, according to Lucid. We don't have horsepower and torque specs yet, but the 2025 Gravity will have at least 480 hp. When launched, the Gravity model will likely match or beat the 620 hp Touring model and the 819 hp Grand Touring model. Will Lucid make a higher-performance Gravity Sapphire? Considering how good the 1,234 hp Air Sapphire was in our testing, fingers crossed.
Towing And Off-Roading
Twin-engine all-wheel drive will be standard on the 2025 Gravity, although the company hasn't ruled out a single-engine rear-drive version. If enough customers like the Gravity and don't need the price cut that the Air did, the rear-drive Gravity probably won't happen.
Right now, looking at our photos of the 2025 Gravity, you can probably tell that the Lucid isn't a rock cruiser like the R1S. However, the Gravity does have an off-road mode that sets the air suspension height at the highest setting with full torque access—sounds fun. We wonder what the ground clearance will be like on an SUV that looks ready for a road like this. Wheel options include 20 inches front with 21 inches rear, 21 inches front with 22 inches rear, or 22 inches front with 23 inches rear.
Towing capacity tops out at 6,000 pounds, which is 1,700 pounds less than what you can tow in a Rivian R1S or Audi Q7 but more pounds than the Air sedan can haul.
Acceleration from 0-60 mph can be achieved in just 3.5 seconds, according to Lucid. We don't have horsepower and torque specs yet, but the 2025 Gravity will have at least 480 hp. When launched, the Gravity model will likely match or beat the 620 hp Touring model and the 819 hp Grand Touring model. Will Lucid make a higher-performance Gravity Sapphire? Considering how good the 1,234 hp Air Sapphire was in our testing, fingers crossed.
"Real Growth Curve At Lucid"
The theme in Lucid Gravity 2025 is the same: similar to Air but not the same. Lucid design chief Derek Jenkins said there's been a "real growth curve at Lucid" since the Air first launched. And that's good to hear, because, in our experience, Lucid Air's undeniable goodness is often marred by minor issues that include tech bugs.
It's not just a bug in the technology—on our Air test car over a year ago, one of the steering wheel buttons popped with gentle use. The Gravity steering wheel has touchpads on the left and right sides, with areas for swiping and four flat buttons as well. The steering wheel is now squircle-shaped, so it's flat at the bottom and top. Jenkins tells us that Lucid tested 27 different wheels and yes, the Tesla-style yoke was among them.
The upgraded OLED screen has all been tweaked and we're told the system should be more reliable than it was on the Air. The top edge of the screen is higher, and the top has slimmer edges. The long 34-inch screen consists of a small control menu to the left of the steering wheel, the instrument cluster, and the top infotainment screen. Below that, the lower center screen is now oriented horizontally and measures 12.6 inches instead of 12.5.
One trick we enjoyed while on air was hiding the bottom screen, but that feature is missing from Gravity. However, there's a relaxing setting that blacks out the bottom screen and simplifies the top screen to only show what you need to see. On a long trip at night, this is the one to drive.
Then there's Lucid Sanctuary, a fantastic mode that only works when you're not driving. Every screen in the car showed the same natural scene—the one we saw in Joshua Tree, California. This is what you see on the Calm app's home screen. These visuals and sounds are combined with massage and enhanced LED mood lighting. We've seen similar features from Mercedes and Genesis, but this seems to go a step further
We can't imagine feeling comfortable enough parking at a charging station to meditate, but Lucid also has a connection with Meditopia, where you can be guided through short sessions. Some of these features may require a long-term subscription, but Lucid is working out the details.
On the other hand, we are told that a car karaoke feature will also be offered. There's a lot to unpack with the Gravity, so while some will be impressed by the in-car apps or enormous head-up display, we're also intrigued by how this SUV drives, its range, and how well it performs. the interior is functional.
Gravity, 3 Row SUV
By the way, as of this writing, Lucid is still determining how the second row of seats will fold to improve access to the third row. The prototype we saw had a lever on the underside of the second row of seats, which could adjust the backrest angle. Will there also be a Honda-Pilot-like button to recline the backrest and push the seat forward? We will see later. At least the rear doors can be opened to about 90 degrees—that's another feature we like when in the air.
No matter how you fold those seats, access to the third row is fine. The windows back there also don't provide a good view of your surroundings. No steel-roofed Gravity is planned—so at least you'll get a view of the trees above. Living in Los Angeles, our glass-roofed Air often cooks in the summer sun, so we were happy to hear that Gravity's glass-roof has a different thermal coating that can reduce cabin temperatures. In the future, an electrochromic glass roof feature may be offered, like the one on the Toyota Venza.
Key Fob And Glass
Ironically, in a car as sophisticated as the Lucid Air, one of the problems that often occurs is a flimsy key fob that requires frequent battery replacement and doesn't always recognize the car. Yes, we have good news: There's a new regular-sized key fob in the Gravity, which can accommodate a longer-lasting battery.
And if that doesn't excite you, let's talk about glass. We love the rich look of the wood covering over the Air's front cupholders. On Gravity 2025, the lid is now made of tempered glass. When we took a look inside a Gravity Dream Edition prototype before the SUV's debut, the glass with its etched lines was unexpected but rich. We were told that different trims will have different etching patterns. Beneath the cover and fold-back armrest is ample storage.
Interested in Gravity?
Gravity 2025 has a very clear design and way of reaching the future. However, trying to be ahead has its pros and cons, so we're curious to see how well Lucid can live up to Gravity's promise.
Additionally, the 2025 Gravity undeniably expands the reach of the Lucid brand in a way that no executive sedan ever could. And a starting price estimate of "under $80,000" should also help; The Air just got a lower-cost version at the same price, after launching in the six figures.
