Lucid’s 2026 Gravity: A Game-Changer That Left Me Speechless

The inaugural SUV from Lucid is enjoyable, functional, and pretty much the most high-tech electric vehicle available nowadays.

When I
First time I sat in the driver’s seat of the Lucid Gravity
Late last year, I was astonished. However, the test drive of a pre-production model was done so hastily that it seemed inappropriate to form definitive opinions. After spending considerable time behind the wheel during the company’s relaunch phase, I can now assert with greater certainty what has been on my mind since December: The Gravity stands out as the most outstanding all-electric car I have ever driven.

This three-row SUV accomplishes everything in an almost unbelievable way. It seems to defy physics as it drives like a sports car yet accommodates up to seven passengers with ease. Despite its compact exterior, it offers astonishingly generous interior space compared to its rivals. Adding to its impressive feat, this electric vehicle excels in every crucial aspect, boasting an exceptionally high EPA range that’s nearly unmatched.
the fastest charging rates across the U.S.
.

However, Lucid’s path with its initial vehicle demonstrates that possessing an excellent product is merely part of the challenge. Both theoretically and physically, the Gravity stands as a remarkable achievement. This much is certain.

The larger uncertainty lies in whether Lucid will manage to attract sufficient customers.

What Is It?

The California-based company Lucid Motors impressed electric car enthusiasts towards the end of 2021 when they revealed
Air sedan
arrived with a still-untouched
520 miles of range
and staggering performance.

However, Lucid’s initial offering faced limitations as a four-door sedan during an era where the automotive market had predominantly moved towards SUVs and pickup trucks. In 2023, Lucid managed to sell around 6,000 Air models, increasing slightly to just above 10,000 units in 2024. This represents steady progress for a new entrant into the industry; nonetheless, it falls short of what would be required to establish itself as a leading automobile manufacturer. With ambitions to attract many more consumers and work towards achieving financial sustainability, Lucid looks forward to unveiling the Gravity—a larger vehicle designed to appeal broadly—complete with all their advanced proprietary technology developed in-house.

The Gravity isn’t merely a heightened version of the Air. It sits on an entirely new chassis featuring updated engines and higher-energy-density batteries. The vehicle is manufactured at Lucid’s facility in Arizona and technologically
became available in late December
, with only a few units being sent out to customers near the company. Actual deliveries to genuine customers began shortly after.
start later this month
.

The launch-edition Gravity Grand Touring costs a lot of dough to own, especially if you want bells and whistles like a third row, 110-volt outlets and soft-close doors. But it’s also a lot of car, with a claimed 828 horsepower, a 3.4-second 0-60-mph time and up to 450 miles of range. A Touring version starting at $15,000 less is on tap for later this year.

What Is It Like To Drive?

A few weeks earlier,
I put the Cadillac Escalade IQ through testing.
. It’s wild how differently these two three-row EVs behave on the road. The ginormous Escalade handles like a cruise ship. Sure, it’s quick in a straight line and is a comfy highway cruiser, but it sucks at just about everything else.

The Gravity, on the other hand, is genuinely a blast to drive hard. It’s so agile that you’re liable to forget you’ve got a whole-ass SUV behind you. Its steering is quick and responsive. And whether you stomp the throttle, slam the brakes or throw it into a sharp corner, the Gravity feels rock-solid and remarkably controlled. It’s all pretty mind-blowing when you consider that this is a full-size family-hauler, not some low-slung sedan or coupe.

Our friends at
The Autopian
It sums up perfectly when they mentioned that the Gravity handles like a sports car confined within a minivan’s frame. This is particularly evident in the Gravity’s “Sprint” driving mode, which firmly plants the vehicle, tightens its suspension, and sensitizes the accelerator response. Additionally, there is a cozier “Smooth” option and a moderate “Swift” setting as well.

It’s incredibly swift, offering the seamless, easy acceleration characteristic of electric vehicles, with Lucid being notably skilled in this aspect. Even when cruising at high speeds on highways, it feels like there’s an inexhaustible reserve of power available.

Who really needs a seven-seat SUV that drives like this? Probably nobody. What’s nice is the Gravity also crushes the everyday stuff, no problem. The Gravity’s adjustable air suspension means you can putter around town without the jittery harshness of some other super-SUVs. It’s quiet, too. Its stubby nose means visibility out the front is excellent, especially compared with more upright, boxy competitors. Blind-spot camera views that pop up when you signal a turn are a nice touch.

One caveat: The tester I drove came equipped with the Dynamic Handling Package, which adds rear-wheel steering and accentuates the difference between its three drive modes. So I can’t speak to how the non-optioned car will perform.

Nevertheless, you receive three tiers of access.
regenerative braking
I usually stuck with the Goldilocks “Standard” setting, but you have the option to switch it to “High” or turn it off altogether.

Oh, and what about
the Gravity’s squished steering wheel
? I actually liked this idea a lot. The “squircle,” as Lucid calls it, helps provide an unobstructed view of the SUV’s screen, while still being familiar enough that there’s no learning curve. The same can’t be said of yoke-style wheels from Tesla.

A Massive Interior

I think the Gravity’s clown-car interior will rope in far more customers than absurd driving dynamics ever will. Because if there’s one issue that unites all Americans during this increasingly polarized moment, it’s a love for hauling as much crap as possible.

This SUV has the delightful quality of feeling a lot bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. That’s thanks to an airy, mid-century vibe, plus exceptional packaging.

Standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall, I found the second and third rows accommodating, thanks to their level flooring and generous legroom. Compared to similar vehicles, the rear seating offered even more space.
Rivian R1S
Or the Escalade IQ, either of which Lucid had available for comparison.

Plus, the Gravity has just about as much cargo room—up to 120 cubic feet with the seats folded—as the much bulkier Escalade. A large, eight-cubic-foot frunk helps, as does a giant cargo bin under the floor in back.

It’s difficult to grasp just how spacious a car feels inside when measured only in cubic feet. Let me illustrate this for you. During the driving event, Lucid filled a Gravity with cardboard boxes and dared me to fit as many as possible into a nearby area.
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
.

I have decent spatial awareness—if you’re looking for someone to help move a sofa up a narrow staircase, count me in—so I figured I could neatly fit all the boxes into the vehicle. However, after several minutes, the EQS was completely full, leaving behind an unexpectedly big stack of unplaced boxes, roughly equal to about three roll-aboard suitcases. Kudos, Lucid.

A Much Improved Lucid Interface

Lucid’s software game has always been outclassed by the likes of Tesla and
Rivian
The design of the Air’s user interface was visually appealing, yet lacked functionality and could be somewhat bewildering. In previous models, we’ve experienced recurring problems with the voice command system powered by Alexa. Additionally, Lucid lags behind several rivals regarding sophisticated driver aid features.

I would tentatively suggest that the Gravity marks significant progress technologically speaking. Behind the steering wheel lies a curved, 34-inch OLED display which boasts vivid and sharp visuals. Below this, there’s a bigger tablet-style interface that proves far easier to navigate intuitively compared to earlier models. This newer setup also includes smooth transitions synchronized with different driving modes, suspension configurations, and regeneration choices. Overall, Lucid’s updated UX 3.0 appears more polished and unified when contrasted with previous versions seen in the Air model. However, it remains unclear if these improvements will be extended to their saloon vehicle as well.

The route-planning feature now offers numerous additional choices, such as setting your desired battery level upon arrival and selecting from your preferred charging networks. The energy section has been updated with efficiency advice tailored for novice electric vehicle drivers. Additionally, a significant improvement allows both screens on the Lucid to operate separate applications simultaneously—for instance, using one screen for navigation and another for audio—something that previously wasn’t possible with the Air model.

I call it a tentative improvement only because a lot of features weren’t functional yet during my test drive. The all-new head-up display and voice assistant were both off, various streaming applications were still TBA, and Dog Mode and Camp Mode were not enabled either. This is a pattern we’ve seen with cars like the Polestar 3 and
Volvo EX90
, and I must say I wouldn’t want this to become commonplace.

As physical controls grow less common in the automotive industry, Lucid is taking a different path by incorporating adjustable buttons on both the steering wheel and central control panel. These features were not operational during my test drive, but they promise to add a convenient element once implemented.

How Well Does It Perform as a Car, and Specifically as an Electric Vehicle?

At
InsideEVs
In these reviews, we consistently address those two questions. For this instance, I would contend that the Gravity is an excellent vehicle.
because
It’s an excellent electric vehicle. Let’s begin with the fundamentals.

The Gravity Grand Touring can go 450 miles on a full charge, besting key rivals like the R1S (410 miles),
BMW iX
(364 miles) and EQS SUV (324 miles). The Escalade IQ is the sole exception, with an automaker-estimated range of 460 miles, but it does so with a significantly bigger battery—more on that in a bit.

Charging speeds are equally impressive here. The Gravity can charge at a whopping 400 kilowatts, which is more power than most stations in America can even dispense. In independent testing, it sucked in 200 miles of range in under 11 minutes, cementing it as the quickest charging EV outside of China. Plus, it’s one of the first non-Tesla EVs on the market to come with
Tesla’s NACS charging port
, making for dongle-free charging at thousands of Superchargers.

These are the clear advantages of excelling as an electric vehicle. However, there are also secondary benefits.

Why does the Gravity perform significantly better than the Escalade IQ? Partly due to Lucid’s dedication to maximizing efficiency. Despite having a smaller 123-kWh battery pack, the Gravity achieves similar range ratings compared to the Escalade’s larger 205-kWh battery pack. This discrepancy partly explains why the Escalade weighs around 3,000 pounds more than the Gravity. With this vehicle from Lucid, you enjoy ample range using less power and benefit from faster recharge times—a testament to their commitment to efficiency.

This small battery pack, along with Lucid’s compact engines, contributes to the ample interior space I mentioned before.

Early Verdict: Lucid Has A Winner, If It Can Just Sell It

Lucid has the product. Now comes the challenge of selling it.

One unknown will be how people respond to something I haven’t mentioned yet: that minivan-like design. While I dig the Gravity’s spaceship look, there are no guarantees it’ll resonate with wealthy buyers who have their pick of more conventional-looking, muscular Rivians, Audis and Volvos. Another hurdle will be price. At launch, the 2026 Gravity costs $96,625 and up for the Grand Touring trim, and options can push pricing past $120,000. Like I said—a lot of dough.

And Lucid needs to get the message of its totally badass SUV out to people, which the company itself admits has always been an uphill battle.

“In total honesty, I think all of us wish that Lucid was better known than it is,” Derek Jenkins, the company’s senior vice president of design and brand, told me. He said there’s a big marketing push in the works centered around the new tagline “Compromise Nothing,” which you may have already seen on some web ads.

We’ll have to see how that plays out. But as far as slogans go, I’ve got to admit it’s pretty spot on.

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2025 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring
Base Price	$96,625 (incl. fees)
As-Tested Price	$122,225
Charge Type	NACS
EV Range	450 max (386 as-tested)
Drive Type	Dual-Motor All-Wheel-Drive
Output	828 hp
Speed 0-60 MPH	3.4 seconds
Cargo Volume	120 cubic feet (5 seater); 114.3 cubic feet (7 seater)
Battery	123 kWh