Lucid announced the Lunar two-seat robotaxi for commercial fleets
The main feature of Lunar was the complete absence of traditional controls, writes Interesting Engineering. The car has neither steering wheel nor pedals – it was originally designed as an unmanned car. This architecture allows for maximum simplification of the interior and increases the efficiency of the car’s use in cab fleets.
The concept is built on the new Lucid platform for mid-size electric cars. This architecture will become the basis not only for autonomous vehicles, but also for future consumer models of the brand. In particular, the company plans to release two crossovers on this base – Cosmos and Earth, as well as another model that will be presented later. It is assumed that cars on the new platform will cost from 50 thousand dollars, which will allow Lucid to enter a more mass market segment.
The Lunar was created with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness and long-lasting performance. The company’s engineers sought to develop a vehicle capable of operating almost continuously as part of commercial fleets. Simplified design and autonomous control systems should reduce operating costs and increase the payback of such vehicles.
As part of the presentation, Lucid also announced the development of a partnership with Uber. The parties are in talks about large-scale deployment of vehicles built on Lucid’s new platform in transportation services. According to Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, the company considers Lucid as one of the key partners in the development of a global network of unmanned cars.
The new platform will also get the Atlas compact electric drive, which features a smaller footprint and simpler design. Lucid believes that the high energy efficiency will enable the use of lower-capacity batteries and thus reduce the cost of electric vehicles.
In addition to hardware solutions, the company plans to develop software services, including a built-in AI assistant and a subscription to autonomous driving features costing from $69 to $199 per month. According to Lucid’s management, the combination of efficient electric vehicle platforms, software services and autonomous mobility partnerships will help the company reach profitability faster and strengthen its position in the global future transportation market.
