Lucid Air packs Tesla Model S-beating 406-mile range and 480 hp for $69,900 - CNET

You could have one of these in your driveway for slightly less than a base model Tesla Model S, with some caveats, of course.
Lucid Motors

Lucid has been making waves with the introduction of the production version of its Air electric sedan. Not only has the company been keeping Tesla in its sights from a technological standpoint, handily exceeding the Model S' already stellar range, and offering genuinely staggering performance figures while doing it.

Unfortunately, the performance numbers aren't the only thing that people found staggering. The price for the top-tier Dream edition clocks in at $169,000, for example, but it turns out that Lucid had something else up its sleeve. See, according to Lucid's announcement on Wednesday, it will also offer a much more affordable Air model that still offers big range estimates.

The new model will just be called Lucid Air and offer prospective buyers 409 miles of range and 480 horsepower for only $77,400, before the $7,500 federal tax credit. That's not exactly cheap, but it's just a little bit cheaper (if you qualify for the full credit) than the current base model Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, which retails for $71,990 and offers 402 miles of range.

Also notable is the fact that even the base model Air will come with the company's DreamDrive advanced driver-assistance suite as well as the brand's 34-inch curved glass display and an animal-free PurLuxe interior. Of course, the big question mark is going to be build quality, something that new carmakers often struggle with and something for which Tesla is still regularly -- and fairly -- criticized.

The Lucid Air is now available for preorder, with Lucid asking for a $300 deposit. It's also offering a more luxurious and powerful Touring trim, which brings 620 horsepower and 406 miles of range to the table, for $95,000 (before tax credit). The cars are expected to reach customers beginning in early 2021.