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Lucid has announced that right-hand drive production for the UK is locked in, meaning an Australian introduction may not be far behind.
Electric Cars
New comments from the CEO of American EV manufacturer, Lucid, open the door to an Australian introduction.
Speaking at the Munich motor show last week, where Lucid made its European debut, CEO Marc Winterhof revealed plans that provide the establishing steps to bring Lucid cars to Australia.
In an interview with Auto Express, Winterhoff revealed the company is working on a new, medium-sized model, and the UK would receive that vehicle.
Winterhoff confirmed the brand “will enter the UK with a mid-size platform,” pointing to a smaller model than the current large Air sedan and Gravity SUV.
Lucid has previously confirmed that it is working on a new mid-size model, likely to be a Tesla Model Y-rivalling SUV that could be called the Lucid Earth.
The new addition to the range is targeted with a suv $US50,000 ($AU75,600) price, significantly lower than the $US69,900 ($AU105,700) starting price of the cheapest Lucid Gravity Pure SUV.
The platform that underpins the new model is slated to support multiple models from the brand, one of which is likely to be a specialised off-road vehicle.
Official timing for the new model has not been announced, but US industry experts suggest the smaller Lucid models could make their debut sometime in 2027.
With models built to meet European regulations which more closely match the regulatory framework for vehicles sold in Australia, and the introduction of right-hand drive production, Lucid moves closer to a potential Australian introduction.
Lucid’s previous CEO, Peter Rawlinson, previously told Auto Express that he’d "love to" see the brand introduced to right-hand drive markets.
At that time, the company’s financial position meant the existing Air and Gravity models were prioritised, with stable sales volume required before the brand could look further afield.
Lucid’s staged rollout of products and variants means any new models will likely be offered to left-hand drive markets before lower-volume right-hand drive models join the mix.
With distribution and logistics support frameworks established in Europe, a British introduction becomes easier to implement than an Australian one, but as the brand seeks to increase sales volumes globally, Lucid could select Australia as one of its next target markets.
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
