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It’s been a four-plus-year journey for Gravity – Lucid Motors’ second flagship SUV. Since it was first unveiled, I’ve followed Gravity’s development closely, itching to get behind the wheel of a full-fledged production version to test drive – and that day has finally come, my friends. Last week, I took a trip to Lucid’s design studio, where I had my most intimate encounter with the Gravity SUV to date, including a brief but informative test drive around the Bay Area. There, I also learned that the official range of the Lucid Gravity is an impressive 450 miles. Check out images and a video of my experience below.

As mentioned above, Gravity has been a top-of-mind discussion whenever Lucid Motors comes up, and its journey to production and soon deliveries has been exciting. Way back when Lucid shared a launch video of its flagship sedan, the Air, we caught a brief glimpse of its encore EV, Gravity, silhouetted by the sun.

Since then, I’ve been clamoring for more details about this SUV, which represents Lucid’s next step in delivering a wider range of vehicle options that will eventually become less catered to the affluent and more available to all, especially when its “Mid-size” EVs launch after Gravity.

For now, however, Gravity represents Lucid’s venture into all-electric SUVs and has delivered a level of design luxury, technological innovation, and modularity it is becoming renowned for. We caught our first public glimpse at Gravity in November of 2022 before catching some camo’d road testing the following April.

In November of 2023, Lucid officially launched Gravity, sharing some initial details, including a frunk seat and an estimated range of 440 miles. This past January, I got my first up-close look at the new SUV at Lucid’s assembly plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, when the company kicked off Phase Two of its EV production lines, which includes Gravity builds.

Gravity orders opened in October with a Grand Touring available now, followed by a Touring trim starting at under $80,000 set to arrive in late 2025. Last week, while I was with the Lucid team in California, it completed its first Gravity production build set for customer delivery.

As the early versions of the Gravity finally begin to reach reservation holders, I got the chance to test out a pre-production version and have shared my thoughts below. Additionally, we’ve learned that the official EPA range of the Lucid Gravity will be 450 miles, higher than initially promised.

The Lucid Gravity “compromises nothing,” including range

To begin my latest visit to Lucid HQ, I did a walkthrough with Gravity and senior vice president of design and brand Derek Jenkins. Derek showed me a slideshow explaining the design that went into Gravity, some of which I had seen and some entirely new to me.

Jenkins explained Lucid’s new marketing mantra, “Compromise nothing. ” After learning more about Gravity inside and out and taking it for a spin, I can honestly say that the American automaker stayed true to its new ethos on this one.

Gravity is a beautifully assembled, for lack of a better phrase, “hodge podge” of the best elements in luxury vehicles and SUVs, culminating in a modular, spacious, luxurious, tech-forward, and perhaps most importantly, efficient model.

It was here that Jenkins informed me the EPA range of the Lucid Gravity had been secured, and the Grand Touring trim it’s launching first delivers 450 miles of range on a single charge. That’s better than the 440 miles originally announced.

Whenever anyone ever questions Lucid’s success to date or its future in EV sales, I always point to the company’s technology. It’s unmatched. I’ve been a believer since I got exclusive access to Lucid’s powertrain facility in Arizona, and the public is just now starting to grasp just how ahead of everyone this automaker is.

A prime example is the RWD Air Pure, which accomplishes a world-leading efficiency of 5 miles per kWh. That same technology went into the tri-motor Air Sapphire and is a huge reason why it is able to drive so fast and so far with a significantly smaller battery pack than its competitors.

Lucid is building electric motors that are smaller, more powerful, and more efficient than anyone. As such, the company can deliver vehicles that require fewer batteries that are lighter and cost less to mass produce, which in turn helps drive down the cost for customers. I don’t think people will truly grasp this advantage until mid-size comes out, but I digress; the evidence has been right in front of everyone this entire time.

Jenkins told me that Lucid’s goal with Gravity was to out-space and out-utilize traditional SUVs and out-sport the Porsches and Lamborghinis. The pillars of that approach are design strategies common amongst all SUV manufacturers, but it’s always been a give-and-take approach, e.g., space over agility, performance over range, capability over luxury, or practicality over sustainability. By compromising nothing, Lucid has assembled a new breed of SUV that checks all of those boxes and delivers five pillars in one vehicle:

  • Space: Utility, comfort, flexibility
  • Efficiency: Range, charging speeds, sustainability
  • Design: Sophistication, craftsmanship, again, sustainability
  • Performance: On-road and off-road capabilities, handling, acceleration
  • Digital experience: A cabin that is Intuitive, immersive, connected

For that reason, I’d describe the Lucid Gravity as about ten cars in one, combining the best qualities of each to create a truly impressive EV with world-class range and efficiency.

Aside from range, Lucid Gravity marvels in space utilization

A key factor many people can’t truly grasp from 2D images of the Lucid Gravity is just how spacious it is, even for an EV that is comparable or even smaller in height and length than its competitor. As many of you know, EV architecture enables OEMs to customize the floor of their vehicles to allow more interior and cargo volume. However, you still need to store all those batteries, motors, and inverters; some are better at it than others.

I’d argue that Lucid is again a leader in this design approach, using a 900V platform nonetheless. For example, the Lucid Gravity is shorter and lower than nearly all of its SUV competitors, including OEMs like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Rivian, and Chevrolet. At the same time, the Gravity delivers significantly better cargo volume (120 cu. ft. in the five-seat layout and 114.3 cu. ft. in the seven-seater). Lucid shared that’s over 40% more cargo space than the Mercedes EQS SUV, which is quite spacious in its own right.

Let’s not forget the Gravity’s frunk, which offers an additional 8.1 cubic feet of cargo space and a bench for people who want to sit and tailgate, watch the sunset, or just flex on everyone while at a public charger. You may first be turned on by the look and range of the Lucid Gravity, but when you experience it close-up, its the little additions that make it a standout in the SUV segment.

For example, Lucid was able to utilize an additional 6.2 cu. ft. of storage in the trunk behind the rear wheels. This section is perfect for storing luggage or for hiding the third row away cleanly and flatly. Speaking of the third row, that two offers some of the most legroom in its class by only sacrificing a bit of headroom due to its low aerodynamic shape. I climbed back into the third row before my test drive and was impressed at how much room I had, even without moving the second row up, which you can do if needed. Have a look (I’m 5′ 11″):

Lucid Gravity Range

In so many SUVs, the third row is only suitable for children because adults’ knees often end up pressed right up against the second row. You either have to sit at an angle or suck it up, counting down the minutes before you get to your destination and can stretch out. Not ideal.

Or, you can buy a massive SUV like a Chevy Tahoe, which will give you that needed space, but it is inefficient and complex to park in tight areas due to its enormous size. I want to reiterate that Lucid has utilized every square inch of Gravity’s footprint with the driver and their passengers in mind. It’s a family-friendly SUV that can stow everyone’s luggage without a roof rack and house an 8-foot surfboard. Did I mention that the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring version also offers 450 miles of EPA range?

Sure, its sleek and luxurious and has a ton of space, but how does it drive?

I’ve been asking myself that same question for over a year now, and finally, I got my chance to test out Gravity on public roads. Spoiler alert—it was awesome.

Gravity feels so much like Air, I forgot I was driving an SUV

I want to preface my driving impressions by stating that I was in a pre-production Gran Touring version of the Gravity, and some features were missing, like its awesome AR head-up display, which I was bummed I couldn’t experience yet. Still, I’m sure I’ll get a much longer drive opportunity soon, and I will follow up with a more comprehensive review.

For now, I can share my thoughts on a 20-minute drive around Newark, California. Despite the limited time behind the wheel, it was easy to grasp Gravity and how it handles. Upon first getting behind the wheel and heading off, my initial impression was based on the overall feel—not just in terms of the handling but also the interior and driver positioning.

All I could say at first was, “This drives like a Lucid.” The two techs in the SUV with me smiled at one another and told me they were happy to hear that because that’s precisely what the team was striving for when they fine-tuned it.

My second takeaway was how small and nimble it feels for a larger vehicle. If you’ve read my work, you’ll know I’ve driven every trim of every model year of the Lucid Air to date, so I’m very familiar with how those EVs drive. I immediately felt at ease and in control of Gravity and would say it drives exactly like an Air despite being significantly larger. At one point, I forgot I was in an SUV until I checked my rearview mirror and saw three rows behind me.

The dual motor was A+ in acceleration, and you know I’m a stickler for one-pedal driving. Gravity did not disappoint. The regenerative braking is stiff but not jarring and is extremely easy to master. After hitting a couple of cloverleaf exit ramps as fast as I could, we hit a service road to test out launch mode. I hit 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds and would have loved to keep pushing it if I hadn’t run out of road.

The Gravity Grand Touring’s 828 hp and 909 lb-ft of torque cannot be ignored and, again, contribute to my argument that this SUV drives like a sedan. To turn around, we hit a tight u-turn to demonstrate the SUV’s 38-foot curb-to-curb turning radius – another helpful slight advantage Gravity has over larger SUVs.

However, the most impressive feature I learned about Gravity is its optional air suspension package, which exemplifies the “all-in-one” design package I’ve described. The Grand Touring I drove was equipped with Lucid’s multi-chamber spring air suspension, which can not only raise the SUV to varying heights but you can also adjust its stiffness to deliver three different sensations, whether it is a plush and smooth ride in “Smooth” mode, a sportier more Porsche-like feel in “Swift” mode, or a track-friendly “Sprint” mode that rides comparable to an Aston Martin DBX 707.

With the air suspension, Lucid is also working to deliver a “Terrain Mode” that will roll out as a software update to take the Gravity off-road. Derek Jenkins told me it won’t enable you to drive up Moab, but it will offer competitive off-road capabilities in the SUV segment. Versatility is the nucleus of this EV, in my opinion.

Because I was in a pre-production model, the UX of Gravity wasn’t all there, but Lucid is looking to deliver what it called “UX 3.0,” which should (hopefully) solve many of the bugs that popped up through the production of the Air sedan. I certainly hope so because the lack of premium, dependable software feels like the only factor holding Lucid back from being the best in the business in most EV categories.

The only last little tidbit I noticed is that Gravity’s passenger doors open a full 90 degrees to help parents access car seats and furry friends more easily. This is an excellent idea that many customers will love, but probably more in the comfort of their own driveway. The rear doors are quite long and, when fully open, would definitely clang up against a vehicle in the spot next to them. It’s not ideal for parking lots, but it’s a welcomed feature nonetheless.

Overall, the Gravity SUV is a slam dunk of an EV if you have the money to buy one. Lucid continues to lead the industry in range and efficiency with Gravity and is even taking some of those design lessons and modular improvements and circling them back into future models of the Air sedan. I’m sure we will see many of these design elements in “Mid-size” as well, so I’ll repurpose my Gravity countdown clock for that next model.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to a more extended drive experience with Gravity and will share more thoughts on my experience after that. If you live near a Lucid showroom, I recommend stopping in and seeing if they have the SUV on display yet so you can explore all the little details that went into making an SUV that seems to indeed “compromise nothing…” except maybe a second mortgage on your house, but it may be worth it.

The Lucid Gravity Grand Touring is on sale now at a starting MSRP of $94,900. Check out some video footage we shot with the Lucid Gravity below:

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The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N is here and it’s even better than expected

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The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N is here and it's even better than expected

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N is finally here, and it delivers. Hyundai’s electric sports car is loaded with fun new features, a sleek design (including a massive rear wing), 641 horsepower, and much more.

Meet the Hyundai IONIQ 6 N

After teasing the new model for the first time last month, Hyundai created quite a buzz. Now, we are finally getting our first look at the upgraded high-performance EV.

Hyundai unveiled the new IONIQ 6 N at the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday in West Sussex, England. The upgraded model follows Hyundai’s first high-performance EV, the IONIQ 5 N.

At the event, the company boasted that its new electric sports car marks “a pivotal milestone in Hyundai N’s electrification journey,” adding “Hyundai N is once again redefining the boundaries of high-performance electrification with the debut of the IONIQ 6 N.”

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The IONIQ 6 N delivers an impressive 641 horsepower (478 kW) and 77 Nm of torque, enabling a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint in just 3.2 seconds. Its top speed is about 160 mph (257 km/h).

Hyundai-IONIQ-6-N-EV
Hyundai IONIQ 6 N (Source: Hyundai)

That’s when using Hyundai’s Launch Control, one of the many performance features the new EV offers. Like its other N models, the IONIQ 6 is based on three pillars: Corner Rascal, Racetrack Capability, and, of course, an Everyday Sportscar.

Powered by two electric motors, a 223 hp (166 kW) at the front and another 378 hp (282 kW) motor at the rear, for a combined 600 hp (448 kW).

Hyundai-IONIQ-6-N-EV
Hyundai IONIQ 6 N (Source: Hyundai)

Redefining the EV driving experience

The upgraded IONIQ 6 “redefines the EV driving experience,” according to Hyundai, thanks to its advanced in-house vehicle control software.

Central to this is Hyundai’s N Active Sound + system, which mimics the feel and sound of a traditional engine. An added N e-Shift simulates shifting gears.

Hyundai-IONIQ-6-N-EV
Hyundai IONIQ 6 N interior (Source: Hyundai)

And that’s just the start. Other performance features, such as N Drift Optimizer, N Grin Boost, and N Torque Distribution, give you even more control over the vehicle while delivering increased power.

The IONIQ 6 N is powered by an 84 kWh battery, providing a WLTP range of up to 291 miles (469 km). However, EPA figures will be revealed closer to launch. Given the IONIQ 5 N has an EPA-estimated range of up to 221 miles, you can expect it to be slightly higher when it arrives.

With a 350 kW DC fast charger, Hyundai’s new performance EV can recharge from 10% to 80% in about 18 minutes.

With a length of 4,935 mm, a width of 1,940 mm, and a height of 1,495 mm, the IONIQ 6 N is about the size of the Porsche Taycan.

Hyundai will showcase the new high-performance EV during the hillclimb event alongside other models like the IONIQ 5 N, IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec, and IONIQ 6 N with N Performance parts. Hyundai promises each vehicle brings unique capabilities to the event, “guaranteeing a dynamic and thrilling on-track experience for all attendees.” Check back soon for more info.

What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric sports car? Would you buy one over the Porsche Taycan? Let us know in the comments.

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Elon Musk says Grok is coming to Tesla vehicles just after it went full Hitler

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Elon Musk says Grok is coming to Tesla vehicles just after it went full Hitler

Elon Musk said that Tesla owners will “soon” have access to Grok, a large language developed by Musk’s xAI startup, days after the AI started calling itself ‘MechaHitler’.

Yesterday, xAI launched Grok 4, the latest version of its large language model.

The new model is benchmarking very well, but that’s generally the case with the latest model to come out. It edges the latest models from Google and OpenAI on intelligence by a few points, but it falls behind on speed:

At the launch event, Musk announced that Grok will “soon” be integrated into Tesla vehicles.

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This is something that the CEO has been discussing since founding xAI, which has been controversial because Musk has also positioned Tesla to compete in the AI space. He even stepped down from his role at OpenAI due to a “conflict of interest with Tesla.”

The announcement of the imminent integration of Grok into Tesla vehicles comes just days after the language model went haywire on X and started praising Hitler, referring to itself as ‘MechaHitler’, and made several antisemitic comments.

xAI acknowledge the issue and put Grok on timeout while they fixed it:

We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X. xAI is training only truth-seeking and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved.

The “bug” came just a few weeks after Musk stated that he was displeased with Grok supporting left-wing narratives, even though it didn’t say anything inncurate, and that he would update Grok to “fix” it.

Now, the large language model (LLM) is expected to power the new voice assistant inside Tesla vehicles.

LLMs are becoming quite common in cars, especially premium vehicles. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and a few others have all integrated Chat-GPT in some models.

Many Chinese automakers have also developed their own and deployed them in cars, even entry-level ones.

Tesla is playing catch up on that front.

Electrek’s Take

As I have previously stated, I think Musk is setting up Tesla to invest or even merge with xAI at a ridiculous valuation – making Tesla shareholders virtually pay twice for Twitter, which is now part of xAI.

This is how he will be able to gain wider control over the company’s share.

Of course, it will be widely challenged in court. In fact, shareholders have already filed a lawsuit alleging that Musk was in breach of fiduciary duties to Tesla shareholders when he started xAI.

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Alaska is America’s worst state for business in 2025 as falling oil prices sink economy

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Alaska is America's worst state for business in 2025 as falling oil prices sink economy

Pipeline Winding in Summer Mountain Landscape

Sarkophoto | Istock | Getty Images

From the first discovery in Prudhoe Bay in 1968, Alaskans have had a love-hate relationship with oil.

On one hand, it allowed Alaska to abolish its state income tax, fund most government operations and provide every Alaskan with a dividend that continues to this day. On the other hand, it has left the state at the near total mercy of the global oil market.

In recent years, that has proven to be a bad bet. And it is the major reason Alaska finishes at the bottom of the CNBC America’s Top States for Business rankings in 2025.

With the price of Alaska North Slope crude oil down by double digits from a year ago, according to the Alaska Department of Revenue, Alaska has America’s worst economy as measured by the CNBC study. Economy is the heaviest-weighted category under this year’s methodology.

More coverage of the 2025 America’s Top States for Business

Alaska’s gross domestic product growth is in the bottom ten nationally. The state’s economy grew by just 1.5% last year, compared to 2.8% nationally.

More crucially, the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget is based on a forecast of $68 per barrel for crude oil, and it is unclear if that will hold. Alaska North Slope crude traded as low as $63.49 on May 5 before rebounding above $70 in recent weeks. State forecasters are counting on oil for around 70% of the state’s revenue over the next ten years, or nearly half the state’s operating budget. And some localities are far more dependent.

“When you look at the economic engine by default,” North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak told CNBC last month, “That happens to be oil and gas by about 98% of our operating budget.”

$40 billion bet on natural gas as diversifier

For decades, Alaska has sought ways to diversify its economy, but it has had limited success. Proposals have involved alternative energy, agriculture, and the state’s tourism sector.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy speaks during a news conference at his office in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. March 22, 2022.

Yereth Rosen | Reuters

In 2023, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, signed legislation to put Alaska into the carbon market, using the state’s vast public lands for carbon storage, and to generate carbon offset credits for high carbon emitters in other states. But the program is still in the study phase. A report to the legislature in January said the program is not expected to generate any revenue until at least 2027.

More recently, the Trump administration is backing a proposal to build a natural gas pipeline alongside the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline, allowing the U.S. to ship liquid natural gas — a byproduct of North Slope oil production — to Asia.

North Carolina becomes America's Top State for Business

The idea has been around for years, but the price tag, estimated at around $40 billion, was impossible for the industry to swallow even when petroleum prices were high.

Now, however, administration officials think that trade tensions might change the economics.

“There [are] countries around the world looking to shrink their trade deficit with the United States, and of course, a very easy way to do that is to buy more American energy,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan in Prudhoe Bay last month.

“If you get the commercial offtakers for the gas, financing is pretty straightforward,” Wright said.

If the project gets off the ground, it could provide a huge boost to Alaska’s economy, though it would still be at the mercy of commodity prices.

Lack of tech infrastructure, high costs

Alaska’s struggling economy is a major reason for its poor competitive performance, but it is not the only one.

The state ranks No. 49 in Infrastructure. While the state’s roads and bridges are in better shape than in many states in the Lower 48, its virtual infrastructure leaves much to be desired. Fewer than 2% of Alaskans have access to affordable broadband service, according to BroadbandNow Research. The data center boom has passed Alaska by thus far, with only four in the entire state.

Alaska is a notoriously expensive place to live, especially in the many remote parts of the state.

“When you’re paying 16 bucks a gallon for milk, we’ve got to figure out how to make sure that you can afford to buy the milk so you can live here. We’ve got to make sure you can afford to buy the gas so you can hunt here,” said Patkotak.

But one aspect of life is a bargain in Alaska. At a time of soaring homeowner premiums, online insurance marketplace Insurify projects Alaska homeowners insurance premiums will average $1,543 this year, the second lowest in the nation.

Join the conversation. Didn’t see your state mentioned? You can see where it ranked overall, and in all 10 categories of competitiveness, in the full rankings of the 2025 America’s Top States for Business.

Top States for Business: Here are the runners-up

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