To complement the debut of its production-ready Lucid Air sedan on Wednesday, automotive startup Lucid Motors also released more teaser photos of what it's calling Project Gravity: an upcoming SUV built on the Air's electric drive platform. We've known the electric SUV has been in development and testing for a while now, but this is our clearest official look at the new model's rear end and proportions.
It's no surprise that the Gravity uses the same design language as the Air sedan, with a very simple front end punctuated by a wide "Light Blade" integrating the Lucid badge and the headlamps. Out back, the SUV trades the Air's wraparound rear glass for a more conventional, upright window and hatch. The rear end also features a single wide light assembly for the taillamps and a minimalist design.
Obviously, the SUV's stance and proportions are the biggest departure from the Air. The new model stands taller than the sedan with increased ground clearance. It's unclear if the SUV is any wider than the Air, which is already narrower than a Tesla Model S.
Also like the sedan, the SUV features a contrasting silver roof with a windshield that stretches almost all the way back to the B pillar for a light, airy feel. The concept's upright shape integrates roof rails and is presented with a low-profile hardshell cargo carrier. Between that, the increased rear cargo area and likely sizable under-hood storage space, there's sure to be plenty of trunk and frunk for carrying junk.
Aerodynamics are important to any EV and especially Lucid Motors' designers. It will be interesting to see how much of the Air's class-leading 0.21 drag coefficient is sacrificed to the Gravity's larger front profile. We're also curious to what effect the aero (and, we presume, the SUV's extra mass) will have on the powertrain's potential 517-mile range when equipped with Lucid's largest 113-kilowatt-hour battery pack.
We expect to learn more about the Lucid Project Gravity concept SUV during the automaker's livestream presentation Wednesday, so we'll be updating with details as they emerge.
