The Honda Element may not be visually appealing for some drivers due to its boxy design, but if you prioritize reliability and are not concerned about aesthetics (or actually like the look), it can be a great option for a used SUV. This is especially true if you enjoy outdoor activities like biking, camping, surfing, hiking, where the Element’s unique layout and bi-parting side doors make it perfect for carrying bulky equipment such as surfboards, skis, and mountain bikes.
According to consumer feedback from J.D. Power, the 2011 model, along with the previous models, is considered the most reliable version of the Element. The 2011 Honda Element received high ratings of 81 for quality and reliability and 80 for driving experience, with particular praise for its excellent forward visibility and spacious interior. However, some owners reported issues with the interior quality, slow acceleration, and difficulty in handling curves.
Despite these drawbacks, the 2011 Honda Element offers four-wheel drive and comes with a five-speed automatic transmission, as well as front and side airbags. Compared to other used Honda models, the Element is reasonably priced and definitely worth considering if you are looking for a cheap, reliable, and spacious pre-owned Honda.
An electric car’s range has always been a major concern for consumers. Until recently, EV battery technology was limited, with most models offering a maximum range of 200 miles. However, Tesla was able to produce electric cars with ranges of 300–400 miles, becoming a leader in the industry. Lucid Motors, a California-based startup founded in 2014, quickly emerged as a strong competitor to Tesla by offering luxurious EV vehicles with similar technology. To gain an edge over Tesla, Lucid launched the Lucid Air in 2021, which became the longest-range electric vehicle (EV) with an EPA rating of 520 miles. With this achievement, the Lucid Air has pushed the boundaries of battery technology by driving over 100 miles longer than any other EV on the market.
Lucid Motors, initially known as Atieva, was a startup focused on battery technology development in 2007. Over the years, it shifted its focus to producing electric cars and hired former Tesla executives. Lucid Motors aimed to create a luxury electric vehicle that could outperform its competitors in multiple aspects. The company partnered with Formula E to supply batteries for electric race cars, gaining expertise in making more efficient electric batteries. Lucid’s batteries lasted the entire duration of Formula E races, setting a new standard at the time.
The knowledge gained from partnerships with McLaren and Formula E was then applied to the development of the Lucid Air. Unveiled in 2016, the Lucid Air initially grabbed attention by defeating the Tesla Model S in a quarter-mile race and setting a track record at Laguna Seca. Although Tesla eventually reclaimed the title for the fastest production EV, the Lucid Air showcased impressive performance capabilities that could not be ignored. However, the most remarkable feature was its long range. In the fall of 2021, the Lucid Air Dream Edition Range received an official EPA rating of 520 miles, making it the first EV to surpass the 500-mile mark.
EVs With The Best Range In The U.S.
Model
Range
Lucid Air
516 miles
Chevrolet Silverado EV
450 miles
Tesla Model S
405 miles
Hyundai Ioniq 6
361 miles
Tesla Model 3
358 miles
The Lucid Air Dream Edition came in two trims, the Dream Edition R and Dream Edition P. The Dream Edition P focused on speed and performance, boasting 1,111 hp, while the Dream Edition R emphasized maximum range. With 933 hp, the Dream Edition R showcased the impressive 520-mile range compared to the Dream Edition P’s 471-mile range. Both trims were released with a starting price of $169,900, and the limited 520 units produced in honor of the record range sold out immediately. So, how did Lucid achieve this impressive range in its EV? It all comes down to the in-house technology used by Lucid Motors.
Rear shot of the Lucid Air Sapphire racing on the track.
EVs are generally heavier than gas-powered vehicles due to their electric batteries, which can weigh anywhere from 1000 to 3000 pounds in larger vehicles. To tackle this weight issue, Lucid Motors focused on making everything else in its car as light as possible. Taking inspiration from the D-Type Jaguar, the automaker constructed the Lucid Air like an airplane. The aluminum body is formed through casting and extrusion, resulting in a rigid yet lightweight frame. Lucid packages its batteries in lightweight composite material, and their placement underneath the shell optimizes control and efficiency for both the driver and car.
Jean-Charles Monnet, Lucid Motors’ head aerodynamicist, designed the car’s aerodynamics to maximize its range. With past experience working on Red Bull’s Formula 1 car, Monnet brought F1 technology to the Lucid Air. Twin passages were added to the outside of the hood to direct airflow over the car, while small end plates beneath the car funnel air to the rear diffuser. The company’s claim of being “the most aerodynamically efficient luxury car” was confirmed through testing at Windshear’s rolling-road wind tunnel, where the Air achieved a drag coefficient of 0.21. The Air features a 900-volt electrical system, compared to the industry-standard 400 volts, allowing for smaller and lighter electrical components. By combining the motor, inverter, gears, and differential into a single unit, Lucid reduces the overall weight pushed around by the motors. This increased efficiency also provides more interior space for passengers and larger cargo space compared to Tesla models.
Lucid also enhanced the power generation capabilities of the Lucid Air’s motor. By optimizing the placement of rotor magnets, the Lucid Air generates more power with a motor that is 30 percent smaller than the one in the Tesla Model 3. This allows for more efficient transfer of energy from the battery to the powertrain, using only 27 kilowatt-hours of power per 100 miles. To improve efficiency further, Lucid streamlined the heating and cooling systems in the car. The higher voltage battery reduces heat output, leading to less power required for cooling.
The battery packaging in the Lucid Air differs from that of its competitors. While other automakers cool their batteries from the side, Lucid employs bottom cooling. This simplified battery packaging process prevents overheating and allows for better cooling throughout the entire vehicle. Additionally, the Air has front air inlets designed in-house that distribute air evenly over the radiator for maximum cooling. By integrating all of these innovative technologies, Lucid Motors has produced the most efficient and longest-range EV to date with the Lucid Air.
Front shot of Lucid Motor’s first SUV—the Lucid Gravity.
Although Lucid Motors delivered more Lucid Air models than originally promised in 2022, the company still faces obstacles in the near future. The entire EV industry is grappling with supply chain and logistics issues, leading to rising material costs. Battery production costs increased by seven percent in 2022, resulting in a price increase for the Lucid Air model. In contrast, Tesla managed to lower prices for most of its models.
In order to remain competitive, Lucid Motors needs to find ways to decrease expenses. The company had to reduce production in 2021 and 2022 and also delayed the release of its new all-electric SUV, the Lucid Gravity. While specific details about the Lucid Gravity are still unknown, many anticipate it to have similar capabilities to the Lucid Air, with impressive range and performance ratings. As inflation and interest rates continue to rise, it remains to be seen how Lucid Motors will address these challenges and continue to compete with Tesla and other EV automakers.
An electric car’s range has always been a major turnoff for automobile consumers. Until recently, EV battery technology wasn’t capable of long-range driving with models maxing out at 200 miles. Tesla was the forerunner in mass-producing electric cars, reaching ranges of 300–400 miles. Lucid Motors, a startup also founded in California back in 2014, quickly became one of Tesla’s main competitors. Offering luxurious EV vehicles with technology similar to Tesla, Lucid needed a feature to gain the upper hand. Back in 2021, Lucid launched the Lucid Air to compete with the Tesla Model S and boasted an EV record 520-mile EPA range. Able to drive over 100 miles longer than any other EV on the market, the Lucid Air is pushing the boundaries for battery technology.
Lucid Motors was originally a startup under the alternative name, Atieva, and focused on developing battery technology back in 2007. Over the years, they transitioned their focus to producing electric cars and added more employees including ex-Tesla executives. Lucid Motors’ goal was to develop a luxury electric vehicle that could outperform its competition in several facets. The CEO, Peter Rawlinson, made a deal with Formula E to supply batteries for the electric race cars. The partnership allowed Lucid Motors to gain expertise in making more efficient electric batteries. Lucid produced batteries that lasted the entire duration of Formula E races which was unheard of at the time.
Lucid Motors translated the new knowledge learned from its partnership with McLaren and Formula E into its flagship model—the Lucid Air. Originally unveiled in 2016, the prototype turned heads in the EV world when it beat the Tesla Model S in a quarter-mile race and later went on to beat the Tesla Model S Plaid’s track record at Laguna Seca. Although Tesla eventually took back the crown for the fastest production EV, the Lucid Air showed off impressive performance capabilities that could not be ignored. However, the most impressive feature was the Air’s long range. In the Fall of 2021, the official EPA rating was released for two of the four Lucid Air trims. The Dream Edition Range was given an official range of 520 miles, the first EV to ever pass the 500-mile mark.
EVs With The Best Range In The U.S.
Model
Range
Lucid Air
516 miles
Chevrolet Silverado EV
450 miles
Tesla Model S
405 miles
Hyundai Ioniq 6
361 miles
Tesla Model 3
358 miles
The Lucid Air Dream Edition came in two trims, the Dream Edition R and Dream Edition P. The Dream Edition P was geared more towards speed and performance boasting 1,111 hp whereas the Dream Edition R was optimized for maximum range. Although the Dream Edition R “only” had 933 hp, it showed off the infamous 520-mile range compared to the Dream Edition P’s range of 471 miles. Both were released with a starting price of $169,900 and the limited 520 units produced in honor of the 520-mile record range immediately sold out. But how exactly was Lucid able to achieve the impressive range with its EV? It’s all behind the in-house technology at Lucid Motors.
Rear shot of the Lucid Air Sapphire racing on the track.
It’s a known fact that EVs are distinctly heavier than gas-powered vehicles due to the electric battery. EV batteries alone weigh anything from 1000 pounds up to 3000 pounds in larger vehicles. With this in mind, Lucid Motors had to make everything else besides the battery in its car as light as possible. Using a technique seen in cars like the D-Type Jaguar, the automakers constructed the Lucid Air like an airplane. The aluminum body is formed by casting and extrusion, a process that makes the frame very rigid while also extremely light. Lucid packages its batteries in lightweight composite material and its rigid placement underneath the shell optimizes its control and efficiency for both the driver and car.
Lucid Motors’ head aerodynamicist, Jean-Charles Monnet, designed the car’s aerodynamics to maximize its range potential. Having worked previously with Red Bull’s Formula 1 car, Monnet brought F1 technology to the Lucid Air. Twin passages were added to the outside of the hood pushing the air up and over the car while small end plates are placed on the side underneath the car to funnel air to the rear diffuser. The company’s claims of being “the most aerodynamically efficient luxury car” were put to the test at Windshear’s rolling-road wind tunnel where the Air achieved a drag coefficient of 0.21. The Air features a 900-volt electrical system, compared to the industry standard 400 volts, which allows the automakers to reduce the size and weight of a number of other electrical components. Lucid was able to combine the motor, inverter, gears, and differential into a single small unit, reducing the amount of weight needed to be pushed around by the motors. This increased efficiency also allows more room for passengers inside and larger cargo space than Tesla models.
Shrinking the drive unit produces a denser magnetic field, and by optimizing the rotor magnets’ placement, the Lucid Air is able to generate more power in a motor 30 percent smaller than the Tesla Model 3’s. Lucid then is able to transfer the energy generated from its battery to its powertrain more efficiently than any other EV on the market, using 27 kilowatt-hours of power per 100 miles. An additional feature that Lucid cut inefficiencies from was the heating and cooling systems in the car. The higher voltage battery already reduces the amount of heat usually present by decreasing the power output necessary to run the cooling systems.
The battery packaging in the Lucid Air is quite different from that of its competitors. While automakers like Tesla cool their batteries from the side, requiring additional complex processes, the Lucid cools its cell from the bottom. The automakers then apply a heat-conducting adhesive when closing the module and use low resistance (in turn lower heat) wires to solder the cells to the bus bars. This simplified battery packaging process prevents the EV from overheating and allows for better cooling throughout the entire vehicle. The Air also has front air inlets designed in-house that funnel air into twin cortexes. There the air is distributed evenly over the radiator to ensure maximum cooling. Combine all of Lucid Motors’ innovative technology together, and you get the most efficient and longest-range EV ever produced with the Lucid Aid.
Front shot of Lucid Motor’s first SUV—the Lucid Gravity.
While the company actually over-delivered its Lucid Air models producing 7,180 of the originally promised 7,000 vehicles in 2022, the increasingly popular EV company still has some obstacles to overcome in the near future. The EV industry as a whole is experiencing supply chain and logistic issues with the constant rise of material costs. Battery production costs rose by seven-percent in 2022 and it doesn’t look like it’s falling anytime soon with the current trends. The Lucid Air already saw a price increase in the middle of 2022, partly due to this problem. In spite of this, Lucid Motors’ main competitor Tesla was able to decrease prices on almost all of its models.
To remain competitive, Lucid needs to figure out how to decrease expenses as they already had to cut production in half in 2021 and 2022. Lucid also had to push back the release date of its new all-electric SUV—the Lucid Gravity. While much of its specifications are still unannounced, many expect the SUV to feature similar capabilities as the sedan boasting impressive range and performance ratings. As inflation and interest rates continue to rise, only time will tell how the popular Lucid brand will be able to combat these issues and continue to compete with the likes of Tesla and other EV automakers.
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