Lucid boasts its upcoming EV will have a world-beating 517 miles of range

Electric vehicles are becoming an ever more compelling proposition. They’re getting cheaper and are able to drive even further between charges. But one EV startup just set a new bar when it comes to range.

Lucid, a new EV company that’s now led by a former Tesla engineer who spearheaded the Model S, is saying that its upcoming Air EV will be capable of driving more than 500 miles (around 800 km) on a single charge — 517 miles (832 km) to be exact.

[Read: Judge finally rules that Uber and Lyft drivers are employees — but this is just the beginning]

In a press release published earlier today, Lucid says that it’s managed to achieve the range using “proprietary technology, along with careful engineering of every aspect of the Air’s performance and efficiency.” Though we suspect there’s also a massive battery pack in the car, too.

The 💜 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

As Electrek points out, the company has previously talked about a 130 kWh battery pack, which sounds about right for the range the company is quoting.

That figure isn’t official, though. Lucid undertook its own independent test using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols. The US-based EPA is responsible for consistently estimating potential ranges of electric vehicles, and you’ll often see EPA quoted figures next to American made vehicles.

So we’ll have to wait to see if the EPA confirms this figure, but there doesn’t seem to be any motivation for the company to mislead its potential buyers. Before the car can be sold, Lucid will have to disclose the car’s official EPA rating.

We shouldn’t have to wait too long for that, though. The company is set to make an official global unveiling of the car early next month. When it does, it will also confirm all the important stats, including speed, range, and price. Whatever the case, it’s certainly throwing down the gauntlet to other EV makers.

Back in June, Tesla announced that its Model S was capable of driving more than 400 miles (around 644 km) on a single charge.

While it might well end up being the longest range EV on the market, I’d also put money on it being the heaviest nor will it be the cheapest — batteries are heavy and expensive. It’ll be interesting to see how that potentially massive battery pack will affect driving dynamics and the overall character of the vehicle.