Electric sedan Lucid Air Sapphire smashes quarter mile in record time
- The Lucid Air Sapphire has snatched the title of quickest acceleration of any vehicle in production
- It’s left the previous title holder, the Tesla Model S Plaid, in the dust
- Check out this footage of it smashing the quarter mile in record time
Published on May 02, 2024 at 8:03 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 07, 2024 at 6:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
The Lucid Air Sapphire is giving the Tesla Model S Plaid a run for its money.
A recent video has emerged of the electric sedan completing the 1/4 mile in a record time.
And it might just pip the Tesla with the ‘quickest acceleration of any vehicle in production’ to the post.
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The Lucid Air Sapphire completed the quarter mile in 8.930 seconds, bestowing upon it the title of ‘fastest production sedan in the world’.
With three engines – two at the back and one at the front – it’s pretty powerful.
By the time it crossed the finish line it was traveling at 248 km/h (154 mph) – not far from its top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph).
The EV also managed to clock an impressive 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) time of just 1.77 seconds from a standstill.
That’s all down to its instant torque, lightweight aluminum roof, and the prepped surface of the track.
Plus the Lucid Air Sapphire has specially designed Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
These were custom to offer enhanced performance and increased efficiency, complemented by removable carbon-fiber aero disk wheel covers.
The driver at the wheel of the car was subjected to 1.5 G of acceleration due to the punch of the EV’s 1,234 HP.
The car has four modes: Smooth, Swift, Sapphire, and Track.
In Smooth and Swift, you’ve ‘only’ got access to 700 horsepower, whereas in Sapphire you’ve got all 1,234 hp.
Lastly, in Track mode, you can also select Dragstrip, Hot Lap, or Endurance and the car will adjust accordingly.
When you need to stop, it features carbon-ceramic brakes.
In terms of range, it can go 427 miles on a charge, and it only takes 20 minutes to go from zero to 300+ miles of range.
What makes this speed even wilder is the fact that this car looks like an ordinary sedan from the outside – not unlike this Ford EV van that looks like a regular Transit but hides an unexpected secret inside.
It’s assembled in Arizona but its heart belongs to California, and it shows.
The hub caps are adorned with a silhouette of the California bear, the same one that appears on the State flag, and the same bear is also applied on the wheel arches.
Visually, it’s long and sleek, with a low-slung aluminum roof and supercar-style 20-inch wheels at the front and 21-inch wheels at the back.
The wing mirrors are made from carbon fiber, as is the lip spoiler at the back.
Lucid Motors went the extra mile to make the car feel special with an infotainment screen that disappears at the click of a button, to give you access to a hidden storage compartment.
Check out the Tesla Cybertruck’s hidden storage spaces here.
The luxury cabin features four high-end materials: Alcantara, Nappa leather, real wood, and sustainable alpaca wool.
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London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.
