Lucid Motors' first electric car won't roll out of the factory until 2020, but you'll at least know where to charge it when it does arrive. The company has signed a preliminary deal that will give Lucid Air drivers access to VW's Electrify America charging network through a cross-country charging plan. You won't win any prizes for guessing the reason why: It's all about the scale and performance of the network. Electrify America is promising more than 2,000 chargers with power levels up to 350kW. The chances are good are that you'll have access to numerous quick-charge stations in your state.

The exact terms aren't clear. We wouldn't count on it being free. But the cost may be a small matter for buyers of the $165,000 car.



Lucid has been in the news a lot recently, after securing $1 billion in funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and setting a scorching record lap time at Laguna Seca.

The Electrify America news won't make Tesla sweat when it has over 10,000 Superchargers (albeit worldwide, not just in the U.S.). Nonetheless, it's an important deal. Lucid doesn't have the luxury of building its own EV charging network like Tesla or VW. Now, it might not have to — it can promise a baseline level of fast-charger access without having to spend a cent on construction.

By Jon Fingas for Engadget