Lucid teases Tesla Model Y rival arriving in 2026
The electric car maker’s new mid-size SUV will be priced less than $50,000 (£38,000)
Lucid has confirmed it will launch its long-awaited rival to the Tesla Model Y in 2026, with prices set to start from less than $50,000 (£38,000) in the United States.
The as-yet-unnamed electric SUV – which will also compete against the likes of the forthcoming Rivian R2 – will use Lucid’s new mid-size platform, plus its next-generation drive unit called Atlas, which according to Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson is “going to embody all our learning”.
Lucid says its Model Y rival will deliver a similar range to rivals, while using a smaller battery, thanks to its energy efficient technology. Rawlinson claimed: “Our vehicles go farther with less, unlocking significant cost and mass savings as we scale.”
The company also shared a shadowy teaser image of the new model, which doesn’t reveal too much. However, it’s possible to make out the sloped roofline and generally sleek shape – providing a silhouette with echoes of the Kia EV6 – which should help when it comes to range and efficiency.
Rawlinson confirmed to Auto Express last year that the company is also planning a rival to the Tesla Model 3 saloon, which will almost certainly use the new mid-size platform. However we don’t yet know the timeline for this particular model’s arrival.
When will Lucid launch in the UK?
Lucid has sold more cars so far this year than it did in the entirety of 2023, and launched in a handful of countries in mainland Europe, including Germany and Switzerland. However, the company still hasn’t confirmed when it might come to the UK with right-hand-drive versions of the Lucid Air saloon or Gravity seven-seat SUV.
Rawlinson told Auto Express last year: “Oh, man, I'd love to, but it's a matter of engineering priorities. We are slammed.” He added: “It breaks my heart; maybe we can outsource the right-hand-drive project to an engineering company to do it for us. The potential market in the UK is probably bigger than even Germany in terms of a latent desire to go EV.”
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