The Lucid Air can now utilize Tesla Superchargers, but the charging speeds are comically slow.

The Lucid Air can now utilize Tesla Superchargers, but the charging speeds are comically slow.

      **Lucid**

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      As of July 31st, owners of the Lucid Air electric sedan can now access Tesla’s extensive network of Supercharger stations, providing over 30,000 additional charging options for current owners. However, there’s a limitation—Lucid’s surprisingly efficient and also surprisingly affordable model will be restricted to 50 kW of charging throughput. Forget about Air; think of water, then freeze it, as that charging speed is quite slow.

      “The Air can now charge at a maximum of 50 kW, allowing for up to 200 miles of range per hour of charging, giving owners extra assurance during their travels,” the announcement stated (emphasis added).

      In contrast, the Lucid Gravity, which already has access to the Supercharger network, can achieve more than four times that throughput (225 kW) using the same charging equipment. What would take the Air an hour to accomplish, the Gravity (and most current Teslas, for that matter) can complete in about 15 minutes.

      The slower charging rate of the Air compared to the Gravity and other EVs at Superchargers is attributed to its 900-volt electrical architecture and its earlier development compared to the Gravity SUV. According to Lucid spokesperson Andrew Hussey, the company’s engineers have adapted the Air’s Wunderbox for 80-amp AC charging to enable 50 kW charging at Superchargers. This means the Air isn’t genuinely utilizing DC fast charging (as typically understood) at a Supercharger; instead, it’s enhancing the vehicle’s onboard AC charging speeds to the lowest output levels that could be classified as fast charging by older benchmarks.

      Other 800-volt vehicles, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Ioniq 9, Kia EV9 and EV6, along with premium GM models featuring the substantial double-stack battery packs (like the Cadillac Escalade IQ, GMC Hummer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and GMC Sierra EV) circumvent this issue by effectively instructing the system to treat the battery packs as split in two, reducing everything to 400 volts for Superchargers. We’ve observed over 125 kW on an Escalade IQ, and more than 100 kW on a Chevrolet Blazer EV and Ford F-150 Lightning.

      Nonetheless, 50 kW is over four times what many typical owners experience while charging at home, but remains relatively unimpressive by fast-charging metrics, matching the rated fast-charging speed of a base-model 2017 Nissan Leaf.

      For context, the Lucid Air has a peak charging rate exceeding 300 kW, which has been verified. This capability allows for adding up to 20 miles of range per minute thanks to its ultra-fast 900-volt electrical architecture. However, to achieve this, the vehicle must be connected to a 350-kW charger.

      Lucid has also indicated that the 2026 Air Touring model boasts a 6% increase in EPA-certified range compared to the 2025 model. Therefore, purchasing one of those could give you a bit more range and possibly access to non-Tesla Supercharger charging options.

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The Lucid Air can now utilize Tesla Superchargers, but the charging speeds are comically slow. The Lucid Air can now utilize Tesla Superchargers, but the charging speeds are comically slow.

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The Lucid Air can now utilize Tesla Superchargers, but the charging speeds are comically slow.

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