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The global electric vehicle market is growing tremendously. Analysts expect it to expand by a CAGR of 24.5% between 2022-2028. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it does raise a few pertinent questions. For example, where do you look for the best EV in the market? Which EV brand is superior? Take Tesla vs Lucid Motors, for instance. One is a seasoned vet of the EV market, and the other is a relative newcomer. But which is truly best?
Today, we explore Tesla vs Lucid Motors by looking at their specs, must-know facts and the histories of both EV companies to get a better idea of their overall position within the EV market. After that, we’ll weigh their pros and cons and see which brand comes out on top. With Tesla vs Lucid Motors, you can be certain it’s going to be a close call.
Tesla vs Lucid Motors: Side by Side Comparison
| Tesla | Lucid Motors | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2007 |
| Key Figures | Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning | Bernard Tse, Sam Weng, Sheaupyng Lin |
| Notable People | Elon Musk | Peter Rawlinson |
| Current Number of EVs | Four (Model S, Model X, Model 3, Model Y) | One (Lucid Air) |
| Best-Selling EV | Model 3 | Lucid Air |
| Price Range | $46,990-$138,990 | $77,400-$179,000 |
5 Must-Know Facts About Tesla and Lucid Motors
- The 2023 Lucid Air reportedly delivers speeds of 0-60 MPH in 2.6 seconds and an EPA estimated range of 516 miles between charges.
- The Tesla with the longest EPA estimated range is the Model S Long Range Plus with 402 miles between charges.
- The Tesla Model S also happens to be the fastest 0-60 MPH in the EV manufacturer’s lineup, with the Model S Plaid achieving 0-60 MPH in 2.1 seconds.
- Lucid Motors plans to introduce a Model X competitor — the Project Gravity SUV — by 2023. The company also plans a Model 3 competitor by 2025 at the latest.
- In addition to EVs, Tesla also manufactures battery storage options, solar panels, solar roof tiles, and various other energy-efficient products and services.
Tesla vs Lucid Motors: Key Differences
Legacy
Beyond their similar missions, Tesla and Lucid differ in many ways. For one, Tesla pre-dates Lucid by more than a dozen years and outnumbers their EV lineup by 4:1. Tesla was founded in 2003, while Lucid — although founded under a different name in 2007 — did not enter the EV game until 2016. Before making EVs, Lucid was only known as a battery and powertrain manufacturer. Tesla has been an EV manufacturer all along.
Affordability
Furthermore, Teslas tend to be far more affordable than Lucid EVs. The cheapest Tesla — the base Model 3 — comes in at under $50 thousand, while the cheapest Lucid — the base Lucid Air — comes in at over $75 thousand.
Chargers
Moreover, Tesla chargers are available in much greater numbers than Lucid or other EV manufacturers’ chargers. Plus, there are exponentially more Teslas available for purchase compared to an extremely limited number of Lucid Airs.
Tesla vs Lucid Motors: What are the Similarities
One thing that unites Tesla and Lucid Motors more than anything else is their shared mission to revolutionize the electric vehicle for the modern day. Both are committed to creating sleek, elegant, luxury EVs at affordable prices and functional ranges. By and large, both have accomplished this. Both Tesla and Lucid EVs are gorgeous to look at, both inside and out. Of course, Tesla has far more electric vehicles under its belt than Lucid, but the fact remains that the two EV rivals have succeeded at making good-looking vehicles that don’t fit the traditional electric vehicle mold.
The History of Tesla
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Today, Tesla stands tall and mighty as one of the most valuable companies in the world. The immensely popular EV manufacturer is also the world’s most valuable automaker, boasting nearly $850 million in market capitalization. Tesla hasn’t always been this way, however. It took decades to get here, and it’s a road paved with many ups and downs. It all began with Tesla’s incorporation in 2003 — headed by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning — closely followed by Elon Musk’s investment of $6.5 million in 2004.
Named CEO in 2008, Musk (alongside founders Eberhard and Tarpenning) helped foster Tesla Motors up from a good, environmentally friendly idea to a true global powerhouse. The first step on this journey? The development, manufacturing, and release of the Roadster in 2009. From there, it was the Model S in 2012, the Model X in 2015, the Model 3 in 2017, and the Model Y in 2020. With these five vehicles, Tesla quickly and efficiently spread their EV lineup across nearly all the major trims: sports car, sedan, SUV, and crossover. While the Roadster was discontinued, Tesla plans to reintroduce the sports car alongside the Cybertruck — the manufacturer’s first EV truck.
Since its introduction in 2017, the Model 3 has rapidly grown to become the highest-selling plug-in EV sedan. Four years after its release, the EV had sold one million units globally, pushing overall car sales to 2.3 million by the end of 2021. However, despite its success, the company’s history has been far from controversy-free. Musk often finds himself in hot water over workers’ rights violations, whistleblowers and union members’ retaliation, not to mention the various technical problems linked to Tesla batteries and tech.
History of Lucid Motors
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As the other half of the Tesla vs Lucid Motors debate, one would think that Lucid has been a long-standing competitor for Tesla. However, Lucid Motors only recently began to experiment with full-fledged EVs. For nearly their entire first decade as a company, they worked exclusively with EV batteries and powertrains under a completely different name. From 2007 to 2016, they were known as Atieva Inc. and were headed by CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson — Tesla’s former VP of Engineering and the Model S’s Chief Engineer.
Everything was going great during the Atieva years, but something was still desired. As Rawlinson’s former employer continued to climb the EV sales charts, the battery and powertrain company knew they could take on Tesla in a major way. Thus, Lucid Motors was born. Rebranded in October of 2016, in between Tesla’s release of the Model X and the Model 3, Lucid came to the table with nothing more than a dream to one day soon have an EV ready for competition.
While teased as early as December of 2016, that EV wasn’t completed until five years later with the official release of the Lucid Air in October of 2021. Since then, Lucid has received around 25,000 Lucid Air orders from customers across the U.S. It will take some time for Lucid Motors to match Tesla’s massive output, but the intention is most certainly there. Currently, their factory — now in its second phase — can only handle 90,000 vehicles a year. By the completion of its fourth phase, that number will rise to 400,000.
Tesla vs Lucid Motors: Pros and Cons
Tesla
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| With four models available now, Tesla has more vehicles to choose from | Frequently embroiled in controversies, both surrounding its batteries and its CEO |
| With its first EV released in 2009, Tesla has more years in EV manufacturing | Known for nickel-and-diming owners with bonus features and software add-ons |
| Tesla has much higher sales and a far larger manufacturing output than Lucid | Tesla still has not perfected self-driving software, leading some to question if it’s ever coming to begin with |
| With the cheapest Tesla coming in under $50k, Tesla has more affordable models | More Tesla models means more EVs to choose from, making the decision harder |
Lucid
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| After years as a battery and powertrain manufacturer, you know the Lucid Air will be dependable in these key areas | With only one EV to its name, there’s not much for customers to choose from |
| The Lucid Air is far more luxurious-looking than any Tesla model thus far | The Lucid Air begins just over $75k for the base model, which is far too expensive for some |
| Lucid Air has created a greater demand by offering fewer cars for purchase | The waiting list for a Lucid Air is quite extensive, and the manufacturer plans to make less than 15k units a year |
| Lucid has spent years perfecting its sole EV, so you know the Lucid Air the best possible version of itself | As the newer brand, there’s no doubt Lucid has some kinks to iron out before reaching Tesla’s level |
Tesla vs Lucid Motors: Which Is Best?
So, Tesla vs Lucid Motors: Who comes out on top? Needless to say, this is a close call. Both brands pay extra special attention to the manufacturing of their EVs. The two EV competitors have undoubtedly created exceptional cars, and they both far exceed the expectations placed on EVs before their existence. At the end of the day, though, the winning EV manufacturer has to be Tesla.
While the Lucid Air is a superior EV to the Tesla Model S, it all comes down to the brand name and the number of offerings. Tesla simply has better brand recognition, more vehicles available for purchase, and more models to their name. Lucid very realistically could best Tesla at some point in the future, but for now, Tesla has more recognition and more EVs immediately available to drive off the lot today. This ultimately makes all the difference.
Up Next…
Interested in more comparisons between electric vehicle brands or products? Click on the links below:
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 vs. Tesla Model 3: How Do They Stack Up? One was released half a decade ago, the other is still in the works. Which is faster, more powerful, and has more range? Find out all you need to know about both EVs here.
- Apple vs. Tesla Electric Car: Apple Car Preferred Over Tesla by EV Buyers in New Survey: The buying public are the final authenticating link in just how successful a product is likely to be. Find out why they seem to be leaning towards the former option as opposed to the latter.
- Polestar 3 vs. Tesla Model Y: How Do They Compare? They are both luxury SUVs, with their own varieties of voice control, among other impressive features. Find out what else sets them apart and which option is likely to suit you better.
