The Spirit of California Moves Us
Editor’s note: Welcome to the new Lucid Stories. We’re going to use this space to share an inside look at our company, from the award-winning technology and innovations that set Lucid apart, to some of the incredible people behind our vehicles. As we begin, we are taking a moment to appreciate and celebrate how California has inspired our work at Lucid.
For decades, California has been a beating heart of American and global innovation. From the lights of Hollywood to the pioneering farms that supply our food to the software of Silicon Valley, this state has motivated generations to redefine the possible and never settle for the status quo.
When I joined Lucid in 2015, I was excited by the opportunity to be part of a revolution, both for cars and for the planet. After a career spent with traditional designs and legacy companies, Lucid was an opportunity to disrupt decades of unwritten rules. Unencumbered by an aging brand identity and preconceived notions, we started with a clean sheet. It was the epitome of a California approach and in doing so, we created an award-winning car that has reshaped the EV landscape.
As we continue our journey to making the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, there’s no other place we’d rather be. From our home in Newark, steps away from the shores of San Francisco Bay, we are on a mission to drive the widespread adoption of more sustainable transportation using the least amount of resources and energy possible. Vehicle design plays a central role in helping achieve this.
The planet demands no less than our complete effort in building a more sustainable future and California has always helped usher the world into the future. By combining a passion for sustainability, technology, and innovation with picturesque landscapes, the Golden State's inspiration is clear the moment you set foot inside the Lucid Air.
The Air’s interiors borrow color palettes from places like Santa Cruz, Lake Tahoe, and the Mojave Desert (with more to come with the launch of Gravity). The well-appointed interiors have been designed with quintessential California elegance, creativity, and sophistication. Drivers and passengers can enjoy sustainable wood finishes, textiles featuring a majority of recycled materials, buttery smooth, durable, and responsibly sourced leather finishes, and Alcantara, a carbon-neutral alternative to suede.
Our California roots, however, would be incomplete without a nod to the iconic bear from the California state flag. Revered for its power, admired for its beauty, and reincarnated as a symbol of unyielding resistance to the status quo — the Lucid bear embodies the independent spirit of our home. Our cars, and interpretation of bear imagery, have a confidence and prowess befitting this incredible creature, and serve as an enduring reminder of where we come from, why we exist, and what drives us forward: exceptional experiences, innovation, and sustainability.
We are also committed to helping California and its residents realize the benefits of this technology revolution in support of our shared sustainability goals.
The transportation sector is the largest carbon emitting sector in California and the United States. We strongly support – and will be a major contributor to – the state achieving its goal of 100% zero-emissions vehicle sales by 2035 as well as its greenhouse gas reductions goals of 48% by 2030 and 85% by 2045.
While all EVs have the benefit of zero tailpipe emissions, they can vary dramatically in overall environmental impact. Multiple factors influence this, but it’s largely due to the broad differences in energy efficiency. The less electricity an EV requires to drive each mile, the fewer carbon emissions associated with every mile driven. When you drive a Lucid Air, you are generating up to 20% less carbon emissions than the average EV and almost 300% less than an average ICE vehicle, per mile. ¹
Additionally, as Lucid’s bidirectional charging capability becomes available in the future, there is an opportunity to further support California’s efforts to increase renewable energy on the grid over the next decade. By being able to return energy back to the grid during resource-constrained times, EV owners will not only one day be able to power their own property, but also help their wider community keep the lights on.
We will never apologize for challenging the status quo, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come. We are here to redefine what’s possible and through the launch of our game-changing Lucid Gravity SUV, upcoming midsize platform, and continued efforts to drive innovation, we are ready to help California and the world shape the electric future.