news

EV tech supplier Atieva becomes Lucid Motors, shifts focus with a car of its own

California-based electric vehicle technology supplier Atieva has changed its name to Lucid Motors, at the same time previewing an upcoming all-electric sedan that will take on the Tesla Model S.


The company first started in 2007, aiming to contribute to the growth of electric vehicles by developing a modular battery system that could be used in numerous vehicle types.

Atieva, now Lucid, then started developing its first electric vehicle of its own design in 2014, promising autonomous technology, enhanced connectivity and ridesharing.

From the teaser images, the new EV will feature a fully-digital driver’s instrument cluster and a large central infotainment screen.

Online reports claim the vehicle is codenamed ‘Atvus’, and will be an all-electric luxury sedan producing around 900 horsepower (671kW) equipped with an 87kWh battery pack.

According to the US’s electrek, Lucid Motors plans to reveal Atvus by the end of this year, ahead of a 2018 launch.

Coincidentally, the vehicle’s development program is being led by Tesla’s former vice president and the Model S's chief engineer, Peter Rawlinson.

The image below is understood to have been sourced from the state of California through a public records request, filed by Recode.com journalist Mark Harris.

Numerous reports have claimed the image to be a first preview of Lucid's Tesla rival, but it remains to be seen if the above teaser images are pointing to the grainy shot below.

According to a report by Reuters earlier this year, Lucid's executives said the company is also planning a pair of electric luxury SUVs in 2020-2021.

Like fellow electric start-ups Faraday Future and LeEco, Lucid Motors is funded by Chinese investors, including Jia Yueting, founder of LeEco.

All three are looking to take a slice of the EV pie Silicon Valley-based Tesla has been enjoying for so long - promising competitive performance and driving range to their American competitor.

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more Lucid Motors updates.

Chat with us!







Chat with Agent