Lucid Air Electric Sedan Is Now The Most Aerodynamic Luxury Car In The World

Lucid Motors is all set to roll out its first ever all electric sedan next year, which will feature a range of around 644 km on a single charge. The range is not the only capability of the Tesla competitor though. Lucid Air, as the sedan is called, apparently has the best aerodynamic efficiency among its competitors.

The company confirmed this on Tuesday in a press release, saying that the Air has achieved ¡°a new benchmark in aerodynamic efficiency.¡± The company conducted the necessary tests for the same at Windshear¡¯s advanced rolling-road wind tunnel.

Lucid has claimed a coefficient of drag of 0.21 for the Lucid Air. With this, the company claims it to be the world¡¯s most aero-efficient luxury car.

Lucid Air test facility

Lucid Air under testing for aerodynamic efficiency at Windshear¡¯s facility in Concord, North Carolina. (Image: Lucid Motors)

To test the aerodynamic efficiency on the Lucid Air, Lucid Motors opted for the Windshear¡¯s facility in Concord, North Carolina to conduct its test. It says that the facility is considered ¡°one of the most advanced automotive wind tunnels in the world.¡±

Windshear¡¯s tunnel features a closed-air circuit, temperature-controlled system built around a rolling road. The facility has been created to test both production vehicles as well as units from the race car industries.

Coefficient of drag record

Lucid¡¯s claimed coefficient of drag of 0.21 for the Air is the industry best to date. In comparison, Tesla Model S, Air¡¯s direct competitor, has a coefficient of drag of 0.24. Coefficient of drag is used to measure aerodynamic efficiency, i.e. effectiveness of a streamline aerodynamic body design in reducing air resistance to motion.

Lucid says that it has achieved this milestone by critically focusing on the aerodynamic efficiency on the electric car. Its aerodynamics team comprises leading technologists and analysts from the worlds of automotive and motorsport, including four Formula One World Championships.

Though the Formula One experience helped, a low coefficient of drag wasn¡¯t the only target for Air. Jean-Charles Monnet, Lead Aerodynamicist, Lucid Motors says, ¡°It¡¯s not just about achieving the lowest coefficient of drag, it¡¯s also key to have a highly balanced performance vehicle with precisely managed airflow in all aspects.¡±

Lucid Air aerodynamic shape

Lucid Air (Image: Lucid Motors)

Air¡¯s aerodynamic efficiency can be judged from its looks, if not from its name. I mean, the car is literally named ¡®Air¡¯ and it would have been quite silly if it didn¡¯t have a fluidic motion.

Designwise, Lucid Motors has incorporated several elements to the Air to make this possible. Side air intakes in the front fascia, aerodynamically optimized wheel designs and vents in the hood that channel air smoothly around the flanks of the car are some examples on the outside.

Underneath, Lucid Air comes with a proprietary and patented vortex-generating air intake system behind the front bumper. The company says that the system ¡°maximizes cooling performance by uniformly distributing air on heat exchange surfaces while minimizing the size of the air intake aperture.¡±

In addition, the under-surface of the electric car curves progressively upward towards the rear to form an aerodynamic diffuser. The diffuser¡¯s effectiveness has been enhanced by extending it forward, with the battery pack providing part of its curved form, just another Lucid innovation.

Thus, ¡°the very shape of the battery pack enhances the car¡¯s aerodynamics,¡± says the company.

Lucid Air performance

Lucid Air (Image: Lucid Motors)

Lucid Motors says that the Air¡¯s aerodynamic efficiency has enabled Beta prototypes to easily achieve over 400 miles of range on public roads at highway speeds.

¡°Aerodynamic efficiency plays a key role in achieving world-beating range and performance, and is particularly valuable to an EV in that it provides ¡°smart range¡± independent of battery pack size,¡± said Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO, Lucid Motors.

The company is also conducting track testing and top speed runs on the car. ¡°Thus far, a Lucid Air Alpha prototype has achieved a GPS-confirmed top speed of 235 mph (378 kmph).¡±

Lucid Motors has managed to keep up with the production of the Air, despite the roadblocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the company comes up with the production version of the Lucid Air in September, 2020, it will be interesting to see Tesla have a worthy competitor that is now known to be better than it in certain aspects.