At a swanky private soirée ahead of this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Lucid Motors unveiled a new off-road concept based on the fully electric Gravity SUV. It’s dubbed, somewhat unimaginatively, the Gravity X (or Cross).
As usual, the concept car appears to test the water as much as anything else. To my eye, the Gravity looks much better all kitted out. So hopefully, customer (and media) responses will wind up positive enough to urge Lucid on toward true production.
Lucid Gravity X Concept
Of course, the Lucid Gravity EV’s base specs start out fairly impressive. Depending on options, this electric three-row can pump out up to 828 horsepower, manage 450 miles of range, and hit a 0-60 sprint in just 3.4 seconds. All that in a truly spacious vehicle that offers plenty of room for the whole family.
The tech-forward experience also matches some of the industry’s best driving dynamics. I’ve truly never before driven a three-row that can keep up (or legitimately walk away from) the world’s best supercars.
Some of that range and handling prowess may go out the window for the Gravity X, though. The concept has a suspension lift with a wider track and all-terrain tires.
But the build went even further, with improved approach and departure angles, MATERIAL skid plates, and tow hooks. Up top, a modular roof rack system includes integrated crossbars. So a roof box, as seen, or even a rooftop tent might now mount on top. Doing so will further eat into potential range, though, and the Gravity doesn’t actually need much more storage given how well the interior packaging already maximizes storage volume.
“We’re proud of the Gravity, just as it is,” Derek Jenkins, SVP of Design and Brand, told GearJunkie on the award ramp at Pebble. “But I think there was always this desire to do a little bit more ruggedized car, something that did speak to a little bit more lifestyle and outdoorsiness. And I’d say this is a pretty aggressive approach.”
Gravity X Styling
To complement the add-ons, Lucid debuted the Gravity X with the popular Stealth trim over a satin Astral Drift paint job. Brushed metals match the aesthetic, used for the new front and rear fascias to improve the approach and departure angles.
The interior has an Ojai upholstery scheme, orange piping, and microsuede, plus open-pore walnut wood inlays. Badging on the plate and rocker trim hints at the Pebble Beach debut, celebrating 74 years of the famous concours.
The Gravity’s interior design and tech definitely create a nice place to spend time. And I imagine the fun of folding the rear seats down flat, for a true overlanding platform from the factory. Lucid has already showed an interior mattress for the Gravity, but the potential for storing gear and tents for ground camping also comes to mind.
Plus, the 8.1 cubic-foot frunk can hold more, and three 120V AC outlets throughout support electronic accessories.
Off-Road Range
Then again, the idea of taking a true EV truly off the grid out onto trails still induces a bit of nerves. The Gravity already weighs nearly 6,000 pounds when equipped with three rows. And, the optional three-chamber air suspension of the Dynamic Handling package might potentially receive some tuning to improve articulation.
But this is still an independent front and rear suspension vehicle. Even if I pushed the regular “street” tires at a press launch earlier this year through a serious beating without failure. That was in a more controlled environment, though Lucid’s traction control software and suspension tuning were also impressive.
Inviting owners to explore a more hardcore environments with a package like the Gravity X will put a lot of stress on tires, even these staggered 265mm and 275mm General Grabber all-terrains, because they’re mounted on wheels that measure 20 and 21 inches in diameter, respectively.
And especially true given the dual-motor powertrain’s gob-smacking output. Not to mention inevitable range anxiety, despite industry-leading performance, while getting away from civilization.
Other doubts come to mind, too. Will the off-road community embrace a potential Gravity X, which would undoubtedly end up well into six figures given the Grand Touring model’s $94,900 starting price?
Odd Duckling at Car Week
Well, it’s somewhat hilarious to unveil an off-roader at the world’s most esteemed automotive event — on the same ground where seven- and eight-figure pre-war cars will duke it out for the calendar year’s most prestigious restoration and preservation awards.
But Monterey Car Week long ago became big business, and Lucid sure needs that bump in exposure among the jet-set crowd. Knobbies and off-road goodies sure help the appeal.
Because of that slick aerodynamic goal of a 0.24 coefficient of drag, the Gravity does deliver somewhat minivan-esque styling. That’s an impression that starts to evaporate with some of the gear bolted on.
I asked Chief Engineer Eric Bach whether any hardware changes fit into the concept’s development. He replied, “Gravity is already pretty maximized in terms of capability. Nothing has changed from the fundamental architectural capabilities that we have on every single gravity, actually.
“What we have on this is obviously a special set of wheels and tires that are more rugged, more off-roady. They give you more profile, more grip, less puncturability, less vulnerability. And then a lot to also help with the rake angles, approach angles, and clearance to rocks. It’s ruggedized, essentially, for nature.”
All for Show?
Official press materials might call the Gravity X more of a design exercise. But Jenkins made it sound almost like a certainty that at least something in this similar vein is on the way. Strong hints included a forthcoming camp mode that allows for adjustment of the climate control from the rear touchscreen. Plus, a more form-fitting pad being developed for the rear cargo area with the rear rows folded.
Then again, even if the Lucid Gravity X never reaches production quite so kitted out, maybe this concept hints at what might come when Lucid finally unveils the next two mid-size SUV platforms it plans to bring us soon. In a similar fashion to the highly anticipated Rivian R2 and R3X, a rally-inspired variant or even basic off-road packages for those future offerings seem much more likely.
