Recent trademark filings show that Lucid’s next EV will be dubbed “Earth,” and that it will be positioned against the Tesla Model Y with a base price of less than $50,000.
As Lucid works to increase its volume in the electric-vehicle universe, the company is focusing on offering an far more obtainable model. Trademark filings suggest this will be called the “Earth”, but exactly how it’ll take shape—SUV to compete with the Model Y, or a sedan to go after the Model 3, or perhaps both—is anybody’s guess. An SUV is more likely given its worldwide popularity, but a sedan to rival the Model 3 could come afterward.
Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson has been focusing on launching a midsize vehicle no later than the end of 2026 with a target price near $48,000. A model such as this would be able to reach a wider audience by aiming for higher sales volume, one of the key factors in market share expansion and cost reduction.
Although the base price is likely to be tweaked until 2027, when production begins, and factoring in inflation, Lucid is anxious to bring the model to market for better margins and competitiveness.
Importance –
Lucid, having won the 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year award on the Air, has emerged as a key manufacturer of top-of-the-line luxury cars in style and highly innovative. It will, when it does debut in 2027 or 2028, retain that status with its high-end features, though entry-level trims won’t be as high-end in their nature as the Air will be. That’s a similar strategy to Tesla with the Model 3 following the launching of the luxury Model S and Model X to help the company reach profitability.
The production of the Earth is planned at the Casa Grande plant in Arizona, where Lucid is, and also at a new plant in Saudi Arabia, which, starting operation in the second half of the decade, should be able to churn out 150,000 units per year.
Lucid is under pressure from its biggest investor, the Saudi Arabia-based Public Investment Fund, aka PIF, to deliver a far stronger financial performance. Despite an investment of $1 billion in March this year, the company needs to increase delivery figures.
Rawlinson spoke about investments in money across all factories, research and development, and integrating manufacturing processes. Although Lucid had teething issues with the Air’s production, the company is set to iron out the Earth and the upcoming Gravity three-row SUV.
Platform and Powertrain –
The Earth is expected to share a platform with the Air and Gravity by borrowing knowledge from these models for mass production.
As for the powertrain, Earth is likely to get single- and dual-motor options. A rear-wheel drive will most likely be the standard while the all-wheel drive will be optional in higher trims. While Lucid could prepare a high-performance variant for later on to take on Model Y and Model 3 Performance, for now, Earth will target a more general audience at its launch.