Should you buy an EV at its base package?

By making several previously standard features optional, Lucid has managed to lower the base MSRP of its luxury Air EV to $138,000. That’s still eye wateringly expensive for the average buyer, which made us wonder: are EVs worth it at the base package?

Lucid Air EV lowers MSRP

First up, here’s what happened with the Lucid Air: The EV startup has lowered the price of the Air Grand Touring to $138,000 (plus $1,650 destination fee) by pulling out several features that used to be standard equipment. This includes the DreamDrive Pro ADAS suite that is $10,000, Surreal Sound Pro now $4,000 and 21-inch Aero Blade wheels now a $2,000 option.

Related: Stylish supercar EV SUV seats up to seven people

The previous Lucid Air Grand Touring had these features included with an MSRP of $154,000. The total price of all features originally included stays the same, but making those features optional brings the price down to something that only costs slightly more than a Midwest condo. Basically, we suspect the startup discovered they don’t have name recognition established yet to be charging those prices. Therefore, making some features optional brings the car into luxury sports car pricing territory for the choosy, well-heeled buyer without pushing it into supercar territory.

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Lucid says the change allows customers more flexibility to order the vehicle with features that are most important to them, in response to customer feedback requesting more choice for these features.

What is DreamDrive Pro ADAS?

DreamDrive Pro has 32 sensors, including LiDAR that help with surround view monitoring, blind spot display and highway assist. Customers who like DreamDrive or Surreal Sound can get a free 90-day trial with the option to purchase before the trial expires.

The good news is you aren’t sacrificing power or range with these price and feature cuts. The range of the Lucid Air remains 516 miles on a single charge with the extended range battery pack that has a capacity of 112 kWh. For comparison, that’s about the capacity of your average home battery.

The Lucid Air Grand Touring also keeps a dual-motor AWD powertrain with an amazing 819 horsepower with a zero to 60 mph time of three seconds. The car really does live up to its sports car price. Those are impressive numbers that should push EVs out of the reputation of being city drivers only. There is also an Air Touring option just launched last month that has 620 horsepower (still more than your average Corvette) with 425 miles of range and a zero to 60 time of 3.4 seconds for $107,400, plus $1,650 shipping. That’s incredible, quite frankly. Well done, Lucid.

Next year, Lucid will offer a rear-wheel-drive Air Pure model at just $87,400, plus $1,650 shipping. The Air Pure model is already available with 480 horsepower and 410 miles of range with a zero to 60 time of 3.8 seconds for $92,900 plus $1,650 shipping. With those options, we can see this company getting traction. Those stats compete solidly with other cars in that price range with just a bit of a premium for the EV technology.

Are EVs worth the price at the base package level?

A few years ago we might have said no, but technology for batteries has come a long way, which means cars have better range and power than they used to. The wild card now is EV or vehicle prices in general, which spiked due to supply shortages in microchips and other materials that drove the market way higher than normal prices during 2022.

Here are a few EVs you might consider that are totally worth their base model price.

Ford F-150 Lightning Pro Package

Ford starts at $48,769 for the 2023 model and features 230 miles of range without the expensive extended range battery. That’s a great price for a truck, much less an EV and the most popular truck in America. The F-150 Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds and has a crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed. Get on the wait list asap if you want this truck, as it’s sold out everywhere for a year.

Tesla Model 3

Tesla is one of the most reliable EVs on the road, according to Consumer Reports. It starts at just $46,990 for 2023 base trim, which gets you 272 miles of range. It seats five and qualifies for the full federal tax credit of $7,500.

Chevy Bolt

Chevy starts at $27,995 in 2023 and gets 259 miles of charge with the base model. That makes it a great daily driver that is super affordable for an EV. It also seats five and qualifies for the full federal tax credit, making it super practical.

Chevy Bolt EUV

This is a crossover SUV EV that starts at $28,795 and 247 miles of range. This is the cheapest electric SUV with decent range we’ve seen so far and should propel GM to the top of the EV sales charts.

Hyundai IONIQ5 AWD

Hyundai costs $42,745 and gets you an electric crossover with unique styling and 220 miles of range. It’s rear-wheel drive, which makes it potentially a sportier drive. However, even though the power and range are on the lower end, it also sits super low. It makes it a great choice for accessibility for people with mobility issues while still being a fantastic EV.

How to find a great EV at base model prices

To find a great EV, first figure out the range, power and style of vehicle you need for your lifestyle. If you have a long commute, look at models that have a longer range that is 250 miles or more, and factor in the price of having a fast-charging system at home.

Then, shop online to see the difference in prices between base models and higher trim levels. Many dealers are short on vehicles right now and also tend to order higher level trim models to sell more expensive vehicles. There can be a drastic difference between a base model price and the upper range trim levels, so do your homework.

Finally, test drive some cars locally if EVs are available in your area. And once you find a vehicle you love, you could either buy from a dealer or order it online to get the base trim level you want. Don’t forget to ask a dealer if they can order you a base-level model of a vehicle on the showroom floor. They might have just the right option for you.

Via Inside EVs

Lead image via Lucid