Powering the EV Revolution

Jessica Nigro, Head of Global Public Policy for Lucid

When documentary film makers asked “Who Killed the Electric Car” in 2006, it turns out they were just looking at the market a few decades too early. Investments by a growing number of auto manufacturers into electric vehicle (EV) technology have generated major buzz, matched by growing consumer enthusiasm. The global market share of electric vehicles doubled in 2021, and in recently released CTA research nearly 40% of American consumers reported strong interest in purchasing an EV as their next vehicle.

Enter Lucid, maker of Motor Trend Magazine’s “2022 Car of the Year” and, according to Head of Global Public Policy Jessica Nigro, objectively the best electric vehicle in the world. The Lucid Air Dream Edition R can travel 520 miles on a single charge, making it the longest-range EV rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That range is powered by the car’s ultra-high efficiency battery, which helps to reduce costs and green the grid. Lucid also boasts the fastest charging on the market, delivering 300 miles of range after just 20 minutes hooked up to a 300kW high-speed charger.

While the company was first founded in 2007, it’s been scaling up significantly over the past year — building out facilities and showrooms across Europe, the U.S. and Canada to supplement U.S. headquarters in Newark, California, European headquarters in Amsterdam and North America’s first greenfield EV manufacturing plant in Casa Grande, Arizona. Leveraging the expertise of a team of industry veterans, Lucid has maximized its innovative capacity by keeping the manufacturing and design of the battery and drive train in-house. Nigro also credits Lucid’s culture of teamwork and “almost constant collaboration” for its success in market innovation, noting the company has prioritized bringing people back together for in-person collaboration with safety precautions in place.

What’s Next for Lucid and EV Adoption?

In the U.S., Lucid is focused on working with legislators at the federal, state and local levels to create policies that support broader EV adoption. These include engaging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the 11 states that have signed onto the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which requires that automakers sell specific numbers of zero-emission vehicles to address transportation emissions, and advocating for high-speed, high-voltage public charging stations to “future-proof” EV infrastructure in the U.S. As a mission-driven company, the goal isn’t just to create infrastructure that can sell more Lucid vehicles; it’s to support policies “intended to address shared climate goals.”

Those efforts — and significant investment by dozens of car makers — are bearing fruit. According to Nigro, we’re nearing a tipping point for the electric vehicle market, as a growing number of consumers recognize EVs as “an innovative technology that is mainstream, good for your pocketbook, and good for the earth.” That trend is true everywhere from the U.S. — where EV adoption is accelerating from a low base — to Norway, where electric vehicles made up nearly two thirds of new auto sales last year.

Lucid is capitalizing on these new growth opportunities, announcing its first international manufacturing facility to meet global demand for luxury electronic vehicles. Located in Saudi Arabia, the factory will be fully owned by Lucid and is targeted to produce some 150,000 vehicles per year, complementing the production of its flagship manufacturing site in Arizona.

To learn more about Lucid, visit Lucid Motors.