Lucid Sets Record 749-Mile Run Off Single Charge
[Stay on top of transportation news: .]
MUNICH — An electric car by U.S. manufacturer Lucid has broken the record for the longest journey off a single charge, traveling from the Swiss city of St Moritz through Austria to the southern German city of Munich.
The company said on July 8 that the vehicle traveled a total of 1,205 kilometer, (749 miles) surpassing the previous Guinness World Record of 1,045 kilometers achieved by a Mercedes in Japan in June.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring model, priced at around $152,000, set the record.
“This range record represents a significant milestone: It’s yet another clear demonstration of the technological edge that defines Lucid,” said senior vice president Eric Bach, arguing that the company’s technology “lets a Lucid travel further with less energy than any other vehicles.”
Lucid set another title for the history books.
Together with , we have officially set a new Guinness World Records title for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge. The Lucid Air Grand Touring covered an astonishing 1,205 kilometers (~ 749… — Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors)
The Silicon Valley-based company is little known in Europe, with only around 500 of its electric vehicles registered in Germany, according to official figures from April.
German industry experts reacted cautiously to the record figure.
READ MORE:Lucid to Take Over Nikola’s Arizona Electric Truck Plant, HQ
“The range race continues, although a long range is becoming less important,” said Stefan Bratzel from the Center of Automotive Management in Bergisch Gladbach.
Germany’s network of charging stations, including fast-charging options, is getting better and better, making an extreme range unnecessary, he added.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing above or go here for more info
However, he conceded that “the range issue is still in the minds of many customers.”
Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the Center for Automotive Research pointed out that the ranges of new electric cars have improved significantly over the past three or four years, and are no longer too far off the range of a diesel car.
In addition, charging times are becoming shorter and shorter. As a result, the range aspect is becoming less relevant as a sales pitch.
