Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Lucid is open to producing its premium electric vehicles in Europe once there’s strong enough demand in the region, chief operations officer Marc Winterhoff said in an interview with the German platform Autoren-Union Mobilität.
“We are currently building a new factory in Saudi Arabia. This facility will be ready when production of the mid-range series begins. The plant is designed for a capacity of 150,000 vehicles,” Winterhoff stated before adding that if demand in Europe “is strong enough and we need another factory, it’s conceivable [to produce in Europe].”
When asked about competition from Chinese EV makers, Winterhoff said Chinese companies are likely to target the volume segment, while Lucid views the industry as “a technology race.”
“I believe that Chinese competitors will primarily focus on the volume segment. We, however, see the EV industry as a technology race. The future of transportation is electric, and Lucid intends to expand its leadership position with groundbreaking technologies. The best technology comes from the U.S., and we’ve proven this time and again. Our first car, the Lucid Air, was generations ahead of its competition and still holds that title today,” Winterhoff stated.
After having opened two new showrooms across Germany over the last few months, the executive said the brand plans to open a store in the country’s capital Berlin and in Stuttgart, where Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are headquartered.
“We plan to open new Lucid studios in Berlin and Stuttgart in 2025 and are currently revising our strategy to establish numerous other outlets in Germany. Overall, we aim to operate between 10 and 12 locations across the country.
At Lucid, according to the company’s website, the executive oversees operational efficiency, leads the go-to-market strategy, and manages manufacturing operations.
As reported earlier this Thursday, Lucid Motors’ managing director for Europe, Alexander Lutz, has left the company after having joined in December 2023. The European chief of the California-based EV maker became the ninth top-level departure in the past 14 months.
The role will be filled by Lawrence Hamilton, who has spent the past two and a half years leading Hyundai’s Genesis brand in Europe.
The EV maker recorded its highest-ever U.S. sales last month, delivering 712 vehicles, estimations from Motor Intelligence released on Tuesday showed. Sales increased 45% year-on-year within the company’s core market, alongside a 6.3% rise compared to October, marking the second straight month of growth.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
