We got an up-close look at Gravity with Lucid Motors’ SVP of Design and Brand, Derek Jenkins
This week, Lucid Motors invited Electrek to an exclusive ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of Phase 2 of its AMP-1 facility in Casa Grande, Arizona. Part of the festivities included a factory tour, an interview with CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson, and our best look at Lucid’s upcoming Gravity SUV to date. Senior Vice President of Design and Brand Derek Jenkins walked me around Gravity and shared some insights into what went into this unique electric SUV.
Yesterday’s visit to AMP-1 was filled with excitement as local politicians joined CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson on stage to cut the ribbon on Phase 2 – a 3 million-square-foot expansion that moves all of Lucid’s production and storage into one facility, adds a stamping machine, and includes a second body shop where Gravity – the American automaker’s second flagship model will be built.
Gravity has been a long time coming, as we first caught wind of the SUV in 2020 during the premiere of the Air sedan when Lucid briefly teased it. Not different from CEO Peter Rawlinson’s mention yesterday of a “mid-size” Tesla Model 3 and Model Y competitor in the works as Lucid’s third model.
Details of Gravity picked up in November 2022, when we saw some interior images ahead of the start of reservations. A year later, Gravity was officially unveiled with a slew of exciting design upgrades, a 440-mile range, and a front end that has earned the new term “frunking.”
Now, with the next phase of Lucid’s AMP-1 facility open for business, Gravity will soon begin scaled production. On-site in Arizona, I had the opportunity to kick the tires on the SUV and interview Lucid’s SVP of design and brand, Derek Jenkins.
Gravity is Lucid’s next chapter en route to “mid-size”
Gravity is still very much a higher-end luxury SUV competing with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, but this EV represents more than just Lucid’s next fancy model. It’s a culmination of design elements that counter the nuances and other lessons learned when building the Air.
Furthermore, Gravity offers a premium-level “yin” to the Air’s “yang,” as a bookend to the ultra-luxe EVs and a segue into Lucid’s more affordable “mid-size” and beyond – if it can stay afloat long enough to reach that milestone. That said, a lot is riding on the success of Gravity, but Lucid’s team is confident that consumers will… gravitate toward it.
We’ve already covered the SUV’s specs up and down since last year, so it was refreshing to see, touch, and even climb into the third row of Gravity and get design insight directly from one of the top minds behind it – Derek Jenkins:
Gravity had its own unique set of attributes and challenges over Air to really create the next generation of SUV and excel at all of our unique attributes of aerodynamics, efficiency, space utility, flexibility, road worthiness, and degree of off-road capability.
Jenkins assured us that Gravity will be the most aerodynamic SUV when it comes to market. While Gravity shares several design elements with the Air, Lucid has introduced some new and exciting components you may or may not have noticed. Of course, you’ve noticed the frunk seat, but the SUV’s cockpit is a completely new approach compared to the sedan.
Whereas the driver’s display sits within the dashboard in the Air, about 35% of it can be blocked from view by the steering wheel. Jenkins told us that really bothered him, so they moved the curved display up below the sight line and into full view and implemented a different steering wheel that is shorter but still rounded at the bottom you can observe in the images above.
When production begins later this year, Lucid Gravity will join a short but growing list of larger electric SUVs promising 6-7 seats by way of the third row. For some vehicles, the third row is a gimmick that can barely hold children; for others like the Kia EV9 for example, it’s still tight but doable. Jenkins told us that space optimization and delivering modular cargo space in addition to a third row were vital when designing Gravity:
The A-post is really far forward, the driver and passenger are pushed forward, and that’s what enables this really large cargo and people area. As we connected more and more with, not only Lucid owners but family SUV owners, second row, third row spaciousness as well as cargo flexibility and overall cargo is paramount. It literally trumps everything.
So we spent so much time optimizing the package, learned a lot from Air and stretched it. You end up with this very long sleek cabin, short nose, and as you come toward the back of the car, there is a lot of taper in the cabin while still preserving really really good third row headroom. Making a proper third row was a big big part of this.
The Air sedan is already touting the largest frunk in the business, and the Lucid Gravity takes flexible cargo to another echelon. The rear well stowage inside the trunk is enormous, and the ability to fold down the passenger cabin’s seats entirely flat is a huge bonus.
Derek told me he could fit an 8.5-foot surfboard in the trunk diagonally, and Peter Rawlinson told me he hopes future owners use it to transport 2x4s some day. We’ll see about that, but there is no denying the space optimization in Gravity throughout. Have a look:
Those second-row seats fold flat as well. Lastly, while sitting in the Lucid Gravity with Derek, I asked what he thinks US consumers will be most excited about when they get to see this SUV up close like I did:
I think it’s two things. First, I think the cockpit will be a fresh experience for most people because it’s different from most of our mainstream competitors and I think the steering configuration is unique. I also think the cargo experience is going to be awesome. Not just for micro cargo, but also frunk, trunk, seat flexibility, and then human space.
Being able to have a car with this level of performance, agility, capability on-road and off-road, and yet still be just under the Cadillac Escalade in terms of overall interior volume, which is just crazy. That car is four feet longer than this thing. It not only has to look great and drive great, but it has to do the job. i think people are going to be astounded here because thaty’s what’s important in the segment.
Our next step will be to get behind the wheel of the Lucid Gravity and see what it delivers from a performance standpoint. That opportunity is already in the works, so expect a full report very soon.
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.
The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:
- The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.
If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.
LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.
LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.
Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.
As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.
When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.
Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
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Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.
Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January
Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.
Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.
This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.
On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.
In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.
Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.
On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.
If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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