News
Lucid is expanding into Europe with two Air Dream Edition trim levels
Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) announced its initial launch plans for the European market today, which will be marked by the forthcoming availability of two configurations of the automaker’s Air Dream Edition sedan.
Lucid said it would release the Air Dream Edition R, optimized for efficiency with 900 kilometers, or 559 miles, of range, and the Dream Edition P, which features 1,111 horsepower. Lucid said it would also open its first European retail location at Odeonsplatz in Munich, Germany on May 13.
“The expansion into Europe and the decision to offer Lucid Air Dream Edition in this market serve to strengthen Lucid’s position as a global brand and further supports our mission to elevate the standards of the electric vehicle industry,” Zak Edson, Vice President of Sales and Service for Lucid Group, said. “The company’s first offering, Lucid Air Dream Edition, delivers 0-100 km acceleration in 2.7 seconds or an estimated 900 km* of range on a single charge, along with a 924 V electrical architecture for impressive fast charging – all the performance, the quality, and the range that make it perfectly suited for the European market.”
Lucid’s first European retail location – the Lucid Studio at Odeonsplatz in Munich, Germany – is a luxury retail space that invites customers to experience the brand and its products in the heart of the iconic old town area. The company expects to open additional studios and service centers in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland in 2022, and has the ambition to expand into additional key markets across the European continent in the coming years.
Lucid launched the Edition R and Edition P Air Dream Edition sedans in North America with a limited launch of only 520 units. Lucid said it would offer a “very limited number” of these trim levels to existing reservation holders in Europe to celebrate the European launch of the car. It will be offered to reservation holders in Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland.
Dream Edition P
- Dual Motor AWD Powertrain
- 1,111 Horsepower
- 7 seconds 0-60 MPH
- 77 MPH Top Speed
- Specially developed Pirelli P-Zero tires – 245935 21” Front and 265/35 21” Rear, 19” optional
Dream Edition R
- Dual Motor AWD Powertrain
- 933 Horsepower
- 9 seconds 0-60 MPH
- 77 MPH Top Speed
- Specially developed Pirelli P-Zero tires – 245/45 19”, 21” optional
Both the Lucid Air Dream Edition P and R will be priced differently in each country:
- Germany – €218,000
- Netherlands – €222,000
- Switzerland – CHF 199,000
- Norway -NOK 1,850,000
First deliveries are expected to begin in late 2022, Lucid said. Pricing for Lucid’s other Air trim levels, including the Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring, will be announced later this year. Prices are expected to start at approximately €100,000 for the Air Pure in Germany and the Netherlands, CHF 100,000 in Switzerland, and NOK 1,000,000 in Norway.
Lucid currently accepts reservations for its products in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Reservation holders are required to put down a €300 deposit to secure their place in line. These markets were specifically chosen due to charging infrastructure, market acceptance, and size, Lucid said. It also plans to expand into more European regions in the future and plans to build additional sales studios in major European cities, as well as develop a right-hand-drive model for the UK.
-->Lucid Group reported its earnings for Q1 2022 last week, indicating it would have to increase prices due to rising raw material costs and supply chain challenges.
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News
Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software continues its rapid evolution, with the latest V14.2.1 update drawing widespread praise for its smoother performance and smarter decision-making.
Videos and firsthand accounts from Tesla owners highlight V14.2.1 as an update that improves navigation responsiveness, sign recognition, and overall fluidity, among other things. Some drivers have even described it as “more alive than ever,” hinting at the system eventually feeling “sentient,” as Elon Musk has predicted.
FSD V14.2.1 first impressions
Early adopters are buzzing about how V14.2.1 feels less intrusive while staying vigilant. In a post shared on X, Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic described the update as a “huge leap forward,” adding that the system remains “incredibly assertive but still safe.”
Another Tesla driver, Devin Olsenn, who logged ~600 km on V14.2.1, reported no safety disengagements, with the car feeling “more alive than ever.” The Tesla owner noted that his wife now defaults to using FSD V14, as the system is already very smooth and refined.
Adverse weather and regulatory zones are testing grounds where V14.2.1 shines, at least according to testers in snow areas. Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt shared a video of his first snowy drive on unplowed rural roads in New Hampshire, where FSD did great and erred on the side of caution. As per Merritt, FSD V14.2.1 was “extra cautious” but it performed well overall.
-->Sign recognition and freeway prowess
Sign recognition also seemed to show improvements with FSD V14.2.1. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted a clip from his upcoming first-impressions video, showcasing improved school zone behavior. “I think it read the signs better,” he observed, though in standard mode, it didn’t fully drop to 15 mph within the short timeframe. This nuance points to V14.2.1’s growing awareness of temporal rules, a step toward fewer false positives in dynamic environments.
FSD V14.2.1 also seems to excel in high-stress highway scenarios. Fellow FSD tester @BLKMDL3 posted a video of FSD V14.2.1 managing a multi-lane freeway closure due to a police chase-related accident. “Perfectly handles all lanes of the freeway merging into one,” the Tesla owner noted in his post on X.
FSD V14.2.1 was released on Thanksgiving, much to the pleasant surprise of Tesla owners. The update’s release notes are almost identical to the system’s previous iteration, save for one line item read, “Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
News
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
Tesla FSD V14.2.1 is earning rave reviews from users in diverse conditions
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
