Lucid Releases Pricey At-Home Wall Charger

• Lucid is now selling an at-home wall charger along with a few other accessories for the Air EV.
• The charger can support up to 19.2 kW of AC power, a figure which Lucid claims provides up to 80 miles of range per hour.
• The Level 2 charger comes at a price of $1200, but attention: there may be additional costs to make it work with your home’s electrical system.

Charging at home can be one of the best perks of owning an electric vehicle. There are tons of options for at home charging, ranging from a few hundred dollars for Level 1 overnight charging, to several hundred for the more capable Level 2 charging. Now, Lucid Motors, the young automaker known for having the longest-range luxury sedan available today, is offering an at-home charger of its own. The wall-mounted charger provides Level 2 charging, and when operating at its peak can provide 19.2 kW of electrical power. According to Lucid, that amount of power equates to roughly 80 miles of range per hour for the Air. It can be ordered for $1200, though prospective buyers should remember that buying a home charger for your EV is not exactly plug and play. Beyond permits, inspections, and installation, changes to your home’s electrical system could cost thousands on top of the cost of the charger.

Electrical codes require that circuits can only deliver 80 percent of their stated maximum to an appliance. This means that Level 2 charging—which utilizes an AC current of 80 amps, as is the case with 19.2 kW charge equipment like Lucid’s—requires a dedicated 100-amp circuit breaker. One EV user we know recently installed a 50-amp breaker, which was required to support a 40 amp, 9.6-kW charger at his California home. All told, this part of the installation process cost $3500 because he had to double the capacity of his home’s main circuit panel to allow for the charger’s safe operation.

Lucid promises that its charger will utilize a 24-foot cable, which it promises will be thinner and more lightweight than competitors’. The charger is housed in a sleek black unit which can be mounted either indoors for people who park in a garage, or outdoors for those who may charge in their driveway.

Cargo-Carrying Choices Increase

In addition to the new at-home charger, Lucid is now offering an 11-cubic-foot cargo capsule for the roof as well as a set of crossbars. According to Lucid, the cargo capsule was designed to optimize aerodynamics and limit impact to overall range. It can be opened from either side of the vehicle and includes interior lighting for when you need access to your items at night. The crossbars are rated for up to 165 pounds and are compatible with Yakima bike, surfboard, and kayak mounts. The cargo capsule is $2000, with the crossbars priced at $500.

This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Source: Motor - aranddriver.com