Lucid Air owners will soon be able to use Tesla Superchargers — but there’s a catch

Starting July 31, Lucid Air owners will gain the ability to charge their luxury electric vehicles at thousands of Tesla Supercharger stations across North America, following a nearly two-year agreement between the two automakers. However, there is an important limitation: Lucid Air models will not achieve the same rapid charging speeds as Tesla vehicles. All Lucid Air sedans, irrespective of their model year, will be able to utilize Tesla's fast charger network, provided they have an approved adapter priced at $220. This adapter is compatible with Tesla's V3 Supercharger stations and newer models. Nevertheless, the Lucid Air will only be capable of charging at a rate of 50 kW, significantly lower than the 250 kW peak that Tesla Superchargers can deliver. The reduced charging speed is attributed to a discrepancy between Lucid's 924-volt charging architecture and Tesla's 400-volt Supercharging system. According to Consumer Reports, electric vehicles with 800-volt charging systems, like those from Lucid, are unable to reach optimal charging speeds when connected to chargers designed for different specifications. Lucid's spokesperson, Andrew Hussey, clarified that the company has modified the Air's charging system, known as Wunderbox, to enable this 50 kW charging capability when using a Supercharger. He emphasized that this option would be beneficial for Lucid Air owners during road trips or for those who live or work near these charging stations. Unlike the newly launched Lucid Gravity SUV, which features a built-in North America Charging Standard (NACS) port, the Lucid Air continues to use the Combined Charging System (CCS), which has been the primary EV charging standard in North America. Tesla has developed its own charging standard, including a unique charging port and connector for its vehicles. In a bid to promote wider adoption of its charging technology, Tesla shared its charging connector design in 2022, aiming to establish it as the new norm in North America. In May 2023, Ford became the first automaker to partner with Tesla, allowing its EV owners to access the Supercharger network using an adapter. Following Ford, several other automakers, including GM, Rivian, Honda, Mercedes, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota, have also agreed to integrate the NACS charging port into their future EV models. Lucid was one of the last companies to finalize an agreement with Tesla, but it has confirmed that its upcoming Gravity SUV will incorporate the NACS charging port.