A current report says that electrical automobile firm Lucid Motors has solely offered 9 (sure, 9) models of its essential Gravity SUV. Ordinarily, SUVs outsell automobiles hand-over-fist, so this information is one thing of a shocker. Lucid, although, says that that determine is “merely not credible.” The corporate is not saying precisely what number of Gravity SUVs have been offered, however Lucid’s personal feedback recommend it is not near assembly expectations.
Did Lucid Actually Solely Promote 9 SUVs?
The nine-unit determine comes from S&P International Mobility, and was reported by Automotive Information. S&P tracks registration knowledge for its outcomes, pulling data from authorities databases. As new automobiles are bought, they’re registered to be used and thus it is a option to monitor gross sales when an automaker would not have gross sales knowledge obtainable.
In a press release to DrivingOnRoad, Lucid mentioned that “the current claims that Lucid has solely delivered 9 Gravity SUVs is totally inaccurate. A fast evaluate of social media postings from our prospects reveals that these numbers are merely not credible.”
Our personal five-minute search by means of social media discovered greater than 10 homeowners who claimed supply previous to July 1 earlier than we stopped wanting, lending credibility to Lucid’s claims. The variations between the figures might be associated to a excessive variety of late-June deliveries, or reporting points. Nevertheless, Lucid’s rebuttal on Gravity gross sales is not precisely nice information, both.
The corporate says it has delivered “properly into the 3-digit vary,” which is an especially obscure determine however nonetheless falls someplace beneath 1,000. For a automobile anticipated to promote in far better numbers, it appears prospects are both unwilling or unable to get a brand new Gravity. The automaker doesn’t cut up its gross sales figures between the Gravity and its Air sedan, however second-quarter supply figures listed 6,418 automobile gross sales complete. S&P’s numbers recommend there have been 4,780 Air registrations, a wholesome 52% greater than final yr. That leaves 1,629 automobiles unaccounted for. No less than a few of these, evidently, have been the Gravity SUV.
Manufacturing Points Blamed, However These Points Are Now Resolved
Nonetheless, even 999 is fewer than Lucid had possible anticipated. Throughout its earnings name on August 5, interim CEO Marc Winterhoff mentioned that manufacturing delays had led to Lucid reducing its manufacturing forecast, saying “I really feel that it is very important acknowledge that we’re not the place we need to be with Lucid Gravity manufacturing relative to our goal at this level within the yr.” He blamed provide chain capability, however mentioned that a lot of the points had been solved and that Gravity was ramping up within the second half.
Whereas Lucid would not disclose its manufacturing steerage between the Air and Gravity, it says it expects to construct between 18,000 and 20,000 models this yr. Within the second half, “we count on that the Gravity would be the majority of manufacturing and deliveries.”
Based mostly on Lucid’s first-half figures, that would imply as much as 14,000 automobiles constructed within the second half of the yr. If greater than half are the Gravity, that is not a nasty first yr. It could put it at or above projected gross sales for EVs just like the Tesla Mannequin X, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and the Cadillac Escalade IQ EV. However Lucid has an extended option to go to get there.
No matter the true determine, the Gravity would not seem like sitting round on vendor tons. The three-row SUV with as much as 450 miles of vary or 828 horsepower reveals zero stock on the lot at Lucid’s shops within the US.
Supply: Automotive Information