Lucid Air Just Got Better For 2026 With More Range And Tesla Supercharger Access

Yahoo

6 days ago

The Lucid Air has a quite compelling argument for being the best electric vehicle you can buy, and it's set to get even better for 2026. Lucid says its flagship sedan will gain access to Tesla's Supercharger network starting later this month. On top of that, some models are getting even more range, there's a new AC compressor "under the hood" meant to improve cooling and make everything a bit quieter, and there are some new wheel and seating options all meant to make your Air even lovelier.
For most customers the big news here is that all Airs will be able to fill up on electrons at Tesla Superchargers starting on July 31. Of course, owners are going to have to use a $220 Lucid-approved NACS adapter, but that's still a big improvement and gives drivers access to over 17,000 new chargers. (Lucid's Gravity SUV has a NACS port as standard, but there's no word on when the Air might make that switchover.) With the adapter, owners will be able to start charging at V3 and above Superchargers via the Lucid App.
There is one caveat to all of this: rather slow charging speeds, at least by Lucid's standards. The Newark, California-based company says Airs will be able to charge up at 50 kW and gain up to 200 miles of range per hour. That's good in a pinch, but it's rather crappy when you consider the fact that an Air Grand Touring can DC fast-charge at 350 kW and add that same 200 miles of range in just 12 minutes under ideal conditions. Currently, the highest-power Tesla Superchargers can deliver 250 kW, with plans for 350-kW stations.
Read more: These Cars Are Police Magnets
Changing Lucids For A Changing World
The addition of Supercharging isn't the only news coming from Lucid land, either. Range is also up on the Air Touring to an estimated 431 miles, a 6% improvement thanks to higher density battery cells. On the top end, the Grand Touring retains its EPA-leading 512 miles of range. There's also plenty of new standard and optional equipment for 2026, like a new mobile changing cable kit that'll let you add up to 40 miles of range per hour, a new AC compressor courtesy of the Gravity, and new 19-inch wheels available on the Pure, Touring and Grand Touring that look way better than the old aero disc style. The Grand Touring gets 20-way adjustable seats with massage as standard, too.
Lucid also says owners will get a major update to its DreamDrive Pro driver assistance suite, something we talked about last week. Drivers will now get Level 2 hands-free highway driving and hands-free lane changing that is meant to bring its system more in line with what you get from companies like General Motors, Ford and Rivian.
Pricing for the Air lineup looks to be up about $1,000 across the board. The rear-wheel-drive Pure is slated to start $70,990 before destination — that charge is currently $1,500, but Lucid hasn't said if that's changing for 2026. The all-wheel-drive Air Touring comes in at $79,900, and above that, you've got the Grand Touring with a $114,900 pricetag. With price jumps happening seemingly every day, it's nice to get a small break. I should note that Lucid doesn't make any mention of the ultra-high-performance Sapphire in its release, but I'm going to assume not much is changing for that tri-motor monster with its 1,234 horsepower and 1.89-second 0-to-60-mph time. The world is better for it, too.
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.