Tesla Model S boss to head Lucid

The father of the Tesla Model S has joined EV start-up Lucid as its new CEO.

Peter Rawlinson joined Lucid Motors directly from Tesla five years ago and he will retain his position as Chief Technology Officer as well as heading the company.

Rawlinson has stepped up to replace the retiring Sam Weng, who co-founded the company under a different name in 2007 with a focus on making battery systems for electric cars.

It changed direction to become a full EV car-maker in 2016, though it remains a noted battery-technology developer under its original Atieva name.

Lucid has gone through some tough times financially, though, and only came back to life with a $US1 billion investment from the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund in September (just a month before the controversial murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi).

Lucid Motors promises that its first car, the Air luxury sedan (pictured), will see 0-100km/h acceleration of around 2.5 seconds, more than 1000 horsepower and more than 600km of range.

It plans to build more than 50 Airs before the end of next year at a cost of more than $US100 million in America. Its business model hinges on a rollout of cheaper, more modest all-electric cars and SUVs.

The Air’s production had been delayed because it ran out of funding for its $US700 million Arizona factory and Rawlinson said it spent that time making breakthroughs in its electric motor efficiency.

Lucid stayed afloat with loans, using its only asset – intellectual property – as collateral, though the Saudi cash should see it begin work on its factory in the next quarter.