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Last week, one determined man in a luxury EV drove through the night, rain, and shine over 1000 kilometres, setting a new world record.
Electric Cars
A new world record has been achieved for the longest drive on a single charge in an electric vehicle (EV), with one man notching a 1205km (749 mile) distance in a Lucid Air Grand Touring.
The previous record set by the Nio ET7, was beaten by 160km with driver Umit Sabanci starting from St. Moritz, Switzerland and traveling to Munich, Germany in the Lucid.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring features an official range rating of 960km when tested on the WLTP standard thanks to its 112kWh battery, but clearly it is capable of more with some careful driving.
Despite the long range, the Air Grand Touring still claims a 610kW/1200Nm dual-electric motor output and 3.2-second 0-100km/h acceleration time.
Lucid Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer Eric Bach said the achievement proves the brand's cutting-edge technology has real-world usability.
"This range record represents a significant milestone – it's yet another clear demonstration of the technological edge that defines Lucid," Bach said.
"Our Lucid products combine world-class vehicle efficiency with the most advanced drive units, ultra-high voltage architecture, and battery management technology available today."
However, this is not the first time Lucid has worked with Sabanci to break a Guinness World Record (GWR).
In 2024, Sabanci passed through nine countries, from the Netherlands to Italy over a 912-kilometre journey, for the record of most countries visited by a production battery electric-powered car on a single change.
“When I completed the nine-country journey in 2024, it was just the beginning,” Sabanci said in a media statement.
“This new achievement takes that journey even further. I’m proud to be part of a movement that proves electric mobility isn’t just the future; it’s already redefining what’s possible today.”
Sabanci also used to hold the record for fastest circumnavigation of the Earth until this year, but still holds three other world records in addition to the latest.
This achievement addresses at least two factors worrying EV drivers – not enough public charging stations and general anxiety of their vehicle’s range – but the Lucid is yet to make its vehicles available in Australia.
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Ilana is a Melbourne-based journalist who was previously a copywriter in the Big Apple. Having moved to Melbourne for her Master of Journalism, she has written articles about food, farm machinery, fashion, and now the fast and furious. Her dream car has been a Mini Cooper since the fifth grade, eyeing its style and petite size.
