Can Lucid succeed where others have failed?

> THE COMPANY

Origins: Founded as Atieva in 2007 by Bernard Tse, a former Tesla director, Sam Weng and Sheaupyng Lin. The company initially focused on battery packs for vehicles in China but pivoted in 2014 to building its own car.

Targets: Projected sales of 8,000 to 10,000 units a year for the U.S. in first few years, focusing on quality control and selling high-margin luxury versions first. Over two to three years, Lucid hopes to ramp up to 50,000 to 60,000 units.

Production: Lucid plans to build a plant in Casa Grande, Ariz., in 2017. Parts will be sourced from the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border. The company is opting for its own plant, rather than a contract manufacturer, for better quality control.

Market: Initially aimed at the U.S. with some exports to Europe. Lucid sees a huge market in China but will likely need a plant there to make the vehicles cost-effective.

> THE CAR

Size: Midsize luxury sedan roughly the size of a BMW 5 series or Mercedes-Benz E class, but with interior space and amenities closer to an S class or even Maybach

Powertrain: 100-kWh battery pack with 1,000 hp and a 300-mile range and a 0-to-60-mph time under 3 seconds; optional 130-kWh pack with a 400-mile range. Cheaper, shorter-range versions coming later.

Features: Aluminum chassis and body, active air suspension, OLED touch screens for the center console and instrument panel

Pricing: First Lucid sedans will be above $100,000, especially with high-dollar options such as executive-style reclining rear seats and a glass canopy roof. Eventually Lucid hopes to offer a version in the range of a BMW 5 series (figure $50,000 to $60,000).

Charging: Lucid says it has developed a new battery cell chemistry that allows for repeated fast charging without degrading capacity. This boosts the prospects of using a Lucid vehicle in a ride-sharing application with a 24-hour duty cycle.