Lucid Motors unveils its distinctive battery technology and adopts a novel approach in its battery strategy.
Lucid Motors, the California-based electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has announced a significant partnership with Panasonic Energy to diversify its battery supply base. Starting from 2023, Panasonic will provide lithium-ion cells for Lucid's flagship model, the Lucid Air, and the upcoming Gravity SUV.
This partnership comes as Lucid Motors continues its global expansion strategy, with plans to open plants in China and the Middle East in 2025. The company, which was originally founded as Atieva in 2007, rebranded as Lucid Motors in 2016 and constructed its first and largest manufacturing facility, the Advanced Manufacturing Plant (AMP-1), in Casa Grande, Arizona.
The Lucid Air, unveiled in September 2020, has been a cornerstone of Lucid Motors' growth. The latest addition to the Lucid Air family, the Sapphire, was announced in August 2023 with a price tag of $249,000. This high-performance variant boasts a three-motor powertrain, providing 1,234 hp and a top speed of 330 km/h. The Lucid Air Sapphire reaches 100 km/h at 1.89 seconds and can travel 687 km with a single charge.
At the heart of the Lucid Air Sapphire's performance lies its ultra-high energy density battery pack. This technology combines custom high-density lithium-ion cells, a high-voltage platform, and carefully engineered battery pack design to achieve unprecedented energy density. Lucid has developed its battery packs using specially designed lithium-ion cells, primarily in the 2170 cell format, sourced from partners like LG Chem and Panasonic.
Key technological elements include custom lithium-ion cells in the 2170 form factor, designed for high energy density and performance; a 900V+ electrical system architecture that optimizes energy use, charging speed, and power output; development partnerships with industry leaders such as LG Chem and Panasonic to ensure cells are tailored to provide both ultra-high energy density and robust power characteristics; and Lucid's battery technology supports very fast DC charging (up to 300 kW), enabling rapid energy recovery while maintaining battery longevity.
Although specific proprietary chemistry or materials used in the Sapphire variant have not been detailed publicly, Lucid’s approach centers on optimizing cell chemistry, pack design, and cooling to push the limits of energy density beyond typical EV batteries, thus enabling longer range and higher performance.
Panasonic will initially fulfil the demand for cells for Lucid Air and the upcoming 2024 Gravity SUV from its Japanese plant, and eventually from a recently announced plant in De Soto, Kansas. This Kansas plant, which is expected to produce 30 gigawatt-hours of 2170 lithium-ion cells annually, will commence mass production by March 2025.
Despite delivering only 7,180 vehicles in 2022, Lucid Motors continues to push the boundaries of EV technology. With its partnership with Panasonic and the release of the high-performance Lucid Air Sapphire, the company is well-positioned to compete with rivals like Tesla and Rivian in the rapidly evolving EV market.
[1] Lucid Motors. (2023). Lucid Air Sapphire. Retrieved from https://lucidmotors.com/air/sapphire [4] Lucid Motors. (2021). Lucid Air Grand Touring. Retrieved from https://lucidmotors.com/air/grand-touring
- Lucid Motors, in its pursuit of innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, is partnering with Panasonic Energy to strengthen its technology in finance, particularly in the production of lithium-ion cells for its high-performance Lucid Air and upcoming Gravity SUV models.
- As Lucid Motors expands its business operations into China and the Middle East, the company's focus on technology development, including partners like Panasonic for battery production, will play a significant role in staying competitive in the dynamic sports and technology sectors,positioning itself to challenge the likes of Tesla and Rivian in the ever-evolving EV market.
