Lucid Air Gen1
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
1251 PS
Electric Motor (Tri, Sapphire) Elektro
Three motors. 1.88 seconds. Rawlinson's rematch.
Legendary!1251 PS
Electric Motor (Tri, Sapphire) Elektro
3 weaknesses
Good ChoiceEngine Overview
The Lucid Air Gen1 is available with 5 engine variants — from 437 to 1251 hp.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring (Electric, 819 PS) has the L-Dual-AWD (Electric Motor (Dual, AWD)) — rated: "Be Careful", 4 known weaknesses.
The Lucid Air Pure AWD (Electric, 480 PS) has the L-Dual-AWD (Electric Motor (Dual, AWD)) — rated: "Be Careful", 4 known weaknesses.
The Lucid Air Pure RWD (Electric, 430 PS) has the L-Single-RWD (Electric Motor (Single, RWD)) — rated: "Be Careful", 2 known weaknesses.
The Lucid Air Sapphire (Electric, 1234 PS) has the L-Tri-Sapphire (Electric Motor (Tri, Sapphire)) — rated: "Good Choice", 3 known weaknesses.
The Lucid Air Touring (Electric, 620 PS) has the L-Dual-AWD (Electric Motor (Dual, AWD)) — rated: "Be Careful", 4 known weaknesses.
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Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear seat heaters overheat — recall 22V/23V Software version 2.1.0 accidentally removed temperature monitoring for rear seat heaters in certain modes. Four documented cases of charring or discoloration of seat fabric, one owner suffered a burned finger. Lucid issues OTA fix and reimburses related costs. Symptoms: Overheated rear seat, smoke odor, seat fabric discoloration, burn risk to occupants during extended heating | Low | |
| DreamDrive phantom braking DreamDrive triggers unexpected braking interventions — primarily when passing trucks, approaching overpasses, or driving next to large vehicles in adjacent lanes. The system misreads shadows or radar reflections as obstacles. Not aggressive stops, but noticeable deceleration that disrupts highway flow. Symptoms: Unexpected light to moderate deceleration with no obstacle visible, triggered most often when passing trucks or large vehicles, display alert may appear | Low | |
| Infotainment frozen — OTA brick risk Display freezes, audio dropouts, rearview camera black screen — routine annoyances. More seriously: at least one OTA update (version 1.2.6) fully bricked a vehicle, leaving the owner unable to exit for over an hour until the system recovered. Lucid could not resolve it remotely in real time. Symptoms: Black screen or frozen display, no audio, backup camera shows nothing, vehicle unresponsive after failed OTA update | Low | |
| Flush door handles — water ingress and mechanism failure Flush-mount handles like Tesla — same underlying problem. Water enters through a misaligned main power connector inside the door, which sits female-up allowing water to pool. Symptoms: handle won't present, door won't open from inside. Service replaces the mechanism, but recurrence has been reported by multiple owners. Symptoms: Door handle doesn't extend, door cannot be opened from outside, grinding or clicking when handle is triggered, manual interior release required from 30,000 km | Medium | |
| Wiper arm nuts loose — recall SR-23-02 Wiper arm nuts can loosen and separate the wiper from its drive shaft — visibility impaired in rain. 5,523 vehicles affected (2022-2023). Lucid service centers inspect, retighten, or replace at no charge. Symptoms: Wiper arm slipping during operation, wipers not returning to rest position, wiper function lost in rain | Low | |
| Rearview camera fails while reversing Known software and hardware issue: backup camera image missing when reverse is selected. Software versions 2.0.15–2.0.50 particularly affected (covered by recall SR-23-02-0). Even on current software: delayed display, black screen, or frozen frame possible. Symptoms: Black screen when reversing, delayed camera activation, frozen image, incomplete camera view | Low |
Alternatives
BMW i5 G60
Full-Size (2023–2026)
Genesis G90 RG3.5
Full-Size (2023–2025)
BMW i7 G70
Full-Size (2022–2026)
Mercedes-Benz EQE V295
Full-Size (2022–2026)
Genesis G80 RG3
Full-Size (2021–2025)
Mercedes-Benz EQS V297
Full-Size (2021–2026)
Known Problems and Issues
A total of 20 weaknesses have been documented for the Lucid Air Gen1 (2022–2025) — 9 engine-related and 11 vehicle-related. Typical issues affect Electronics, Body, HVAC, Suspension. Considered reliable: L-Tri-Sapphire (Electric Motor (Tri, Sapphire)).
Air (L-Dual-AWD, 2022–2025) — Be Careful: HVIL software cuts drive power mid-motion — recall 24V-497, 12V auxiliary battery parasitic drain, High-voltage coolant heater failure — recall 24V-495. Power: 620 PS.
Air (L-Dual-AWD, 2022–2025) — Be Careful: HVIL software cuts drive power mid-motion — recall 24V-497, 12V auxiliary battery parasitic drain, High-voltage coolant heater failure — recall 24V-495. Power: 819 PS.
Air (L-Single-RWD, 2024–2025) — Be Careful: Half-shaft bolts not cured — Air Pure RWD recall, 12V auxiliary battery parasitic drain. Power: 430 PS.
Air (L-Dual-AWD, 2024–2025) — Be Careful: HVIL software cuts drive power mid-motion — recall 24V-497, 12V auxiliary battery parasitic drain, High-voltage coolant heater failure — recall 24V-495. Power: 480 PS.
What to watch out for with the Lucid Air? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What problems and weaknesses does the Lucid Air Gen1 have? +
What should I look for when buying a used Lucid Air Gen1? +
Which engine is recommended? +
Which Lucid Air Gen1 engine is the most reliable? +
Which Lucid Air Gen1 engine is the most fun? +
Is the Lucid Air Gen1 worth buying used? +
What horsepower variants are available for the Lucid Air Gen1? +
Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee