Lucid, the startup that plans to release the 1,000-horsepower Air electric sedan, appears to be serious about getting its car into production. We recently saw it prowling the San Francisco streets, and now Lucid has released a video of the car undergoing snow testing. That's not unusual for any car, but this video shows that the Air could be genuinely fun to drive.
The Lucid team took Alpha development prototypes to northern Minnesota for cold driving testing and validation of the powertrain, battery, thermal, body, and chassis systems in temperatures as low as -18 degrees Fahrenheit.
CHECK OUT: Lucid Motors unveils 1,000-hp Air electric sedan
The low-friction surfaces allowed the team to develop the anti-lock braking, traction control, and stability control systems.
However, there are some other systems are at play to help this car handle the slippery conditions and let the driver have fun. The car has all-wheel drive, enabled by two motors, one on the front axle and the other on the rear axle. Brake-based torque vectoring is also standard. It applies the inner brakes in a turn to send the power to the outside wheels to get the car to rotate. Finally, it has an active suspension to both ensure a comfortable ride and optimize the tire contact patch.
As you can see in this video, it's possible to get the Air into a controlled four-wheel drift, which is just plain fun. If the finished production car turns out to be as fun to drive as it looks in this video, especially with 1,000 horsepower and 300-400-miles of all-electric range, the Lucid Air could appeal to enthusiasts, as well as those with a green agenda.
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