Lucid Recalls Hundreds of Air Sedans Over Risk of the EV’s Motors Losing Power
Things just aren’t proving to be as much of a breeze as Lucid may have hoped.
On Monday, the California-based EV maker announced a recall of hundreds of Air sedans because of a mechanical issue that can cause their motors to lose power. The problem affects examples of the luxury vehicle from the 2022 and 2023 model years.
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The issue is caused by the car’s primary contactor, an electronically activated switch responsible for connecting the battery to the drive units, according to a filing on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. A small number of the parts, which are made by Sensata Technologies, feature a spring strong enough to overcome the magnetic force that closes the contactor when the vehicle starts up. If the switch opens during operation, it can cut off power to the motors, which causes the sedan to shut down.
Lucid began investigating the issue last year after an Air that had lost power was brought into one of its service centers, according to Jalopnik. After determining the source of the problem, the company sent out an over-the-air update to identify impacted vehicles. It has since detected 273 EVs with contactors that need to be replaced. There are an additional 336 vehicles that have yet to install the update, so the number of affected cars may grow.
Fortunately, the fix sounds pretty simple. Lucid already has a replacement part ready that can be installed at its service centers free of charge. The company plans to begin informing affected Air owners soon and provide information about how to remedy the matter.
“For Lucid, the safety of our customers and their families is the highest priority, and we are working to resolve this issue as quickly as is possible,” a Lucid spokesperson told Robb Report on Tuesday. “Lucid will soon begin contacting the owners of affected vehicles to notify them of the recall and to provide further information.”
This isn’t the first time the Lucid Air has been the subject of a recall, according to the Verge. Last February, the company, which has also struggled with production issues, had to address a potential suspension issue with the Air Dream Edition. Then, in May, it recalled 1,117 more EVs due to a faulty wiring harness connected to the instrument panel.
Lucid’s full statement to Robb Report on its recall:
“Lucid is recalling 273 model year 2022 and 2023 Air vehicles because of the possibility that the electrically activated contact switches that transfer energy to the drive motors may unexpectedly open, cutting off power to the electric motors. An additional 336 vehicles require a software update to assess whether any require contactor replacements.
“For Lucid, the safety of our customers and their families is the highest priority, and we are working to resolve this issue as quickly as is possible. Lucid will soon begin contacting the owners of affected vehicles to notify them of the recall and to provide further information. Lucid customers with questions are invited to contact Lucid Customer Care at 1-888-99LUCID.”
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