Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Over the last weeks, Peter Rawlinson, the CEO and CTO of the luxurious electric vehicle (EV) maker Lucid Motors has been doing several interviews as the company continues roadtesting its upcoming SUV, Lucid Gravity.
In a new interview on the podcast “The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr,” Rawlinson voiced concerns about the advantages Chinese automakers enjoy due to substantial government support and lower labor costs.
“I really believe, first of all, in a free market economy. But I think we do need to recognize that there isn’t a level playing field in what could be a free market economy. Because the degree of government support and incentivization that the Chinese automakers receive is nothing like what we see in the West,” Rawlinson stated.
The chief executive emphasized the challenges posed by China’s lower labor rates, which make it difficult for Western companies to compete on cost. Despite these challenges, he expressed confidence in Lucid’s technological edge.
“I believe that we have a technological advantage over the Chinese. To me, it spurs us on to, in a Lucid, to run even faster, to grow that gap,” he said.
While acknowledging the rapid advancements in Chinese vehicle engineering, Rawlinson pointed out that their core driving technology still lags behind. “Frankly, I think they’re years behind Tesla. What I’ve seen is the vehicle engineering in China improving leaps and bounds over the last few years—things like fit and finish, quality of materials, wind noise, even some of the driving dynamics and braking,” he noted.
Rawlinson also mentioned that Chinese manufacturers have made significant strides in specific aspects of their vehicles, particularly highlighting advancements in battery technology. However, he reiterated his belief that Lucid’s commitment to innovation and technological superiority would keep it ahead of its Chinese competitors.
In a previous interview, the CEO emphasized Lucid’s result in achieving five miles per kilowatt hour, a milestone he claims no other company has reached.
“We’ve been founded and formed as a company to really advance the state-of-the-art in electric vehicle technology,” Rawlinson stated during his presentation.
“Today, I’d like to announce that we have finally achieved a major objective. We’ve managed to achieve a certified five miles per kilowatt-hour with one of our products. This is a landmark achievement validated by the EPA.”
The chief executive also highlighted Lucid’s long-term goal to achieve six miles per kWh, underscoring the company’s commitment to sustainability and technological innovation.
“Our objective as a company is to get to six miles per kilowatt-hour because nothing less than that is going to save the planet,” he said.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
