As Lucid Motors gears up to begin customer deliveries of the all-electric Air in the coming months, it has released a video detailing some of the cold weather testing the car has been put through.
This video shows the car being tested in a climate chamber operating at -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Farenheit) and in addition to being tested in these frigid conditions, the entire exterior was sprayed with water that soon froze across the car, making things even more grueling.
As Lucid mentions, a car operates very differently in freezing temperatures. For example, the viscosity of fluids change and the battery pack’s ability to provide power and accept power is altered. The electric car manufacturer also tests how quickly it can warm up the cabin of the Air and ensures that all of its electronic systems work in these frigid temperatures.
Watch Also: Lucid Shows How It Builds The All-Electric Air In Arizona Plant
The electric startup had planned to commence deliveries of the flagship Air Dream Edition in the second-quarter of the year but that date has since been pushed back until the second half of the year. Prices for this variant start at a cool $169,000 before the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
The Lucid Air is built at the company’s AMP-1 (Advanced Manufacturing Plant) in Casa Grande, Arizona. The first phase of construction at this site was completed in November 2020 and will allow Lucid to build approximately 34,000 vehicles annually.
Earlier this year, Lucid went public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company Churchill Capital IV.