Weird Steering Wheels, Car Karaoke, and Secret SUVs: Inside Lucid’s Design Studio
The startup EV automaker is working on what’s next for after the Gravity three-row—here's what we saw.
Lucid tried 24 times over three years to get the Gravity’s steering wheel right—and it’s still not round. Rather, the new three-row EV SUV has a steering “squirkle,” said company design boss Derek Jenkins, similar to that in the C8 Chevrolet Corvette. Jenkins explained this unconventional shape while he gave us a tour of Lucid’s design studio, where we also got a preview of the company’s next-generation models. What we saw should give pause to anyone eager to buy a Tesla Model Y—or, perhaps, a Rivian R2 or R3.
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Change Is in the Air
Much has changed for Lucid and the world around it since the Air was revealed in 2016. Sedans simply don’t have the sway or status they did then, as consumers have come to favor SUVs for their practicality and road presence. Bookended by the affordable Pure model and epically powerful Sapphire, the 2024 Lucid Air lineup is compelling. But Lucid will need its Gravity SUV to sell significantly in significantly higher volumes if it wants a shot at disruption among established automakers.
A key change for Lucid in recent years is its approach to design. Jenkins recalled how things were during the Air’s inception, describing a dispersed network of studios and fabrication shops around Lucid’s headquarters in Newark, California—minutes away from nemesis Tesla’s Fremont production facility. Necessary at the time for the scrappy startup, these disconnects were remedied in 2022 when a unified design studio at Lucid’s main HQ opened.
There, two levels of office space house teams responsible for exterior and interior design, aerodynamics, user experience, and branding. All have a direct view of a central work area where clay models and experimental paint finishes can be viewed under bright light. “Now, you can’t get a cup of coffee without looking at the cars,” said Jenkins, whose intention with the layout was so that “everyone in here can see everything going on.”
Gravity Aims To Be an Attractive Force
Revealed at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Gravity drew dense crowds to Lucid’s booth. In the studio, we had a more intimate opportunity to examine its details and learn from the teams responsible for its creation. Its steering squirkle exemplifies how the company is integrating learnings from the Air, and how it’s working to enable a more immersive experience for its customers.
Keen to not repeat the steering mistakes of rival luxury EVs, Lucid took pains to optimize the Gravity’s wheel. Firstly, the shape needed to be effective in situations ranging from parking lot maneuvers to hooligan drifting. It also must work cohesively with other interior elements; the rim’s squat shape doesn’t obstruct the 34-inch dashboard display like a traditional circle would, a concern in the Air. During our visit, Lucid staffers suggested the Air could get the Gravity’s steering wheel in the future.
The Gravity’s huge screen should be unobstructed, given how it’s even more important and has greater functionality than in the Air. David Flynt, in charge of user experience at Lucid, says he wants the company’s new software to “enable experiences, not dictate what they are.”
That will be achieved through a high level of personalization, so that a customer can choose what and where they want to see things on-screen. Additionally, the Gravity will enhance its drivers’ vision through the available augmented reality head-up display. Lucid wants its software to build an emotional connection to the vehicle. Flynt demonstrated guided meditation tutorials and an in-car karaoke function, useful for passing time while plugged in at a charger.
Even with the digital focus, Flynt recognizes the value of hardware controls. Most Gravity functions will be adjusted via the touchscreen, but media and climate settings retain physical switches. Additionally, the rectangular “microtablets” on either side of the steering wheel can vary their function depending on what’s on-screen at a particular time.
A Look at Future Lucid Models
According to Flynt and Jenkins, the Gravity’s software is a departure from what was developed for the Air—consider that nearly a decade will have passed from the sedan’s first reveal to when the SUV will go on sale. That new software will also provide a basis for Lucid’s future models—which we got a sneak peek at.
With two large vehicles in its lineup now, Lucid will go midsize next. To be based on a new EV platform in development, Jenkins said that the company’s midsize program will produce “at least three distinctly different vehicles.” Conceptual clay models for two of those were present in the design studio, both clearly smaller than the Gravity but also clearly different from each other. One appears to take a crossover format similar to what Lucid has produced before, while the other will be new territory for the automaker—a tight-fitting cover shrouded the body, but couldn’t hide rugged all-terrain tires beneath.
However Lucid’s midsize vehicles shape up, the company aims to reveal them in late 2026 with a mid- to high-$40,000 starting price. It wants to court new customers to the brand, less the older folks and families who might have the means to acquire an Air or Gravity, and more the younger, outdoorsy urban professional demographic ready to get their first luxury vehicle.
Our studio tour indicates exciting hardware and software to come from Lucid. Now, it needs to hit its targets for production and delivery of the Gravity to see those visions through.
Alex's earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He's never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn't fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.
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