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Lucid Motors has been run through some quality “ hiccups ” in the other stage of bear its long - awaited galvanizing SUV , accord to interim CEO Marc Winterhoff .
“ It is true that we had some technical issues that we had to get the better of around software program ” and the Gravity ’s head - up display , Winterhoff said on a group discussion call Tuesday . “ There have been some hiccups . To be quite frank , I call up this is dead normal in the get-go of plunge a vehicle . ”
In finical , Winterhoff cited provision chain issues with Gravity ’s heads - up display as a root of trouble . The company haspulled that option backfor now while it bring with the provider to increase product of the part .
Winterhoff said these other tone snags are the reason why Lucid has been slow to work the Gravity to its showroom positioning , including SUVs that are supposed to be used for test drives . But he said the company is “ knocking those [ issues ] out . ”
“ We ’d rather push it out a few day or weeks , rather than invest a half - baked ware in front of the customer , ” he say .
Lucid ’s first SUV arrive at a critical juncture for the caller . It has so far failed to sell its Air saloon atanywhere near the levels it once prognosticate to Wall Street . Its total losses to date are now over $ 13 billion , according toa new regulatory filing . And in February , its long - running CEOabruptly stepped down , which led to the installation of Winterhoff .
The Gravity was primitively think to hit the market in 2023 . The launching was pushedback a yearthanks to the disruption triggered by the COVID pandemic . Lucid did technically start deliver somberness SUVs in late 2024 , although only to employees and mass tight to the company .
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The SUV , which currently take up at $ 94,000 and father 450 mile of range , started shipping to unconstipated customers in thelast few hebdomad . But progress has been slow thanks to some of these early production challenge .
Lucid has said it does n’t expect to produce the intensity of deliveries until the back half of this year . And it is not alone in look at with early - run quality job . auto maker of all sizes tend to deal with proceeds big or little as they start building new vehicles . Elon Musk once said in a 2021 audience that hetells friends to waituntil Tesla is making novel cars at ordered series before they buy one .
Partnerships as a service
Selling cars makes up the consuming majority of Lucid ’s business . The party has often enunciate it wants to be a supplier of EV tech to other carmaker . To escort , it has only ink a flock with Aston Martin , but Winterhoff badger other potential partnerships on Tuesday ’s call .
The interim CEO said “ several role player ” have reached out to research “ joint manufacturing ” in the U.S. , potentially at the former Nikola factory in Coolidge , Arizona , that Lucid is now charter .
“ The president and the organisation need to have a strong manufacture sphere in the U.S. , and we are calculate at possible ways we can leverage our assets , ” he said .
Winterhoff also said Tuesday that Lucid is in “ advanced discussions with partners who have told us the Lucid Gravity is the well - place AV - able chopine on the market . ”
He said aspects like the Gravity ’s ripe sensing element suite , redundant electric and control architecture , and fast - charging capability is what makes the sport utility attractive in this context of use . Winterhoff take “ multiple L4 - focus computer software and mobility company have engaged Lucid about potential quislingism . ”
These potential supplemental lines of business could theoretically provide another watercourse of revenue for Lucid and shore up its finances as it works toward rolling out vehicles construct on a more affordable mid - sized political program in late 2026 . The company has say it has enough liquidness make it to the middle of 2026 .
The global thriftiness has become volatile during the former months of President Donald Trump ’s 2d administration , and that could exhibit a risk to companies like Lucid . To wit , Winterhoff said on Tuesday ’s call that Lucid is assess “ vehicle toll change , tariff risk moderation , and bifurcating [ its ] provision chain ” for protect against the volatility .
This story previously state that Lucid Motors has enough cash to get to the launch of its mid - sized EV platform in previous 2026 . The company has only say it has enough liquidity to get to mid-2026 . The story has been corrected to mull over this .
