Lucid's electric cars are arriving in France
By partnering with Emil Frey France’s import division, the Saudi-backed American brand Lucid is entering our market with its two electric vehicles, the Air and Gravity, which will be unveiled next month at the 2026 World Motor Show.
The Partnership
Competing directly with other new electric vehicle brands, Lucid has faced various challenges since its founding in California about two decades ago. For example, we reported in 2020 on the potential short-term arrival of the Lucid Air in Europe.
If this manufacturer manages to move forward despite everything, albeit at a slower pace, it is thanks to Saudi capital and companies that are still willing to trust it today. One such example is Emil Frey France, which is also the official importer in our country of the Japanese brands Mitsubishi and Subaru.
The partnership with Lucid aims to build trust among French motorists through a stable presence, allowing them to showcase the Air sedan and Gravity SUV from October 12 to 18 as part of the 2026 World Motor Show. Together, the two companies announce their intention to offer “an exceptional customer experience in the French market.”
On site, “Lucid will retain full responsibility for its brand, business strategy, and customer experience.” The role of Emil Frey France’s Import division will be to provide “customized operational services to support the customer experience across various functions.”
Cutting-edge technologies
Just like Tesla, Lucid relies on cutting-edge technologies to offer electric vehicles powered by software that is far ahead of that of major automakers still stuck with internal combustion engines. Will the International Motor Show serve as a catalyst for drivers to switch, benefiting the American company?
This is at least what Lawrence Hamilton, Lucid’s president for Europe, hopes: “France is one of the most important automotive markets in Europe and represents a key pillar of Lucid’s expansion strategy.” This statement was echoed by Emil Frey through Pierre Guignot, general manager of Lucid’s Import France division: “Together, we are creating the conditions for a successful launch in the French market.”
The partnership has already resulted in a website that, while not detailing the Lucid Air and Gravity models specifically, offers sign-ups to stay informed “about the latest updates on Lucid’s launch in France.”
Lucid Air
The Lucid Air is a sedan with very American-sized dimensions, featuring a length of 4.98 meters, a wheelbase of 2.96 meters, a width of 1.94 meters (with mirrors folded down), and a height of 1.41 meters. For the Swiss market, it is available in four versions.
Only the Pure RWD model features a rear-wheel-drive layout, with 325 kW (442 hp) of power and a WLTP range of between 751 and 831 kilometers depending on the equipment. The other three versions—Touring, Grand Touring, and Sapphire—all come with all-wheel drive, offering power outputs of 462 kW (628 hp), 611 kW (831 hp), and 920 kW (1,251 hp) respectively. Their ranges are 715–780 km, 817–960 km, and 694 km.
In general, 20 minutes of charging at a fast charger can restore around 400 km of range. However, the charging rates vary by version: 210 kW for the Pure RWD model using 650 V, up to 300 kW for the Grand Touring and Sapphire models using 900 V. The Touring model using 700 V is limited to 250 kW. It’s worth noting that all versions come equipped with a 22 kW AC charger.
The Sapphire version is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 2 seconds, which is less than half the time taken by the rear-wheel-drive version (4.7 s).
Lucid Gravity
Apart from the base model, the electric SUV Gravity offers seven seats, with five in the back that can fold down to create a completely flat platform for loading furniture and materials when needed. If the 3,239 liters of space (compared to 780 liters when folded) isn’t enough, it’s possible to tow a braked trailer up to 1.6 tons for the Touring version and 2.5 tons for the Grand Touring version.
There’s also a 230-liter frunk area, which is more space than the trunk of earlier Renault Twingo E-Tech models. All this doesn’t prevent the vehicle from featuring a luxurious interior with a panoramic double roof, despite its ground clearance of 5.04 x 2.00 meters, wheelbase of 3.04 meters, and height of 1.66 meters.
The Touring versions already feature all-wheel drive, with an engine producing 418 kW (568 horsepower) and a WLTP range of up to 545 or 536 kilometers. Its 672 V electric architecture enables a charging rate of up to 250 kW, allowing 400 kilometers of range to be restored in 23 minutes.
It’s even faster with the Grand Touring versions operating at 926 V: just 14 minutes. These models come equipped with an engine delivering 617 kW (839 horsepower) and a WLTP range of up to 712-739 kilometers. All versions also include a 22 kW AC charger.