LUCID CHALLENGES TESLA AND PORSCHE IN FASTEST SEDAN SHOWDOWN

here's nothing like an old-fashioned drag race to determine a car's king-of-the-hill status. And that's what YouTube channel DragTimes had in mind when matching up the Lucid Air against the Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Can the technology-laden newcomer stand up to the EV pioneer and the legendary performance brand?

While most drag races are two-car contests, DragTimes heads to the Hennessey Performance strip outside Houston to make the three-car showdown possible. 

A Look at the Technical Specs

Before drilling down into the race details, let's see how each EV sedan stacks up.

Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance

• $169,000
• Dual motor/All-wheel drive
• 1,111 Maximum horsepower
• 0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 9.67 seconds
• Top speed: 168 mph
• Weight: 5,236 pounds

Tesla Model S Plaid

• Tri-motor/All-wheel drive
• $124,000
• 1,020 Maximum horsepower
• 0-60 mph: 1.9 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 9.23 seconds
• Top speed: 200 mph
• Weight: 4,833 pounds

Porsche Taycan Turbo S

• Dual motor/All-wheel drive
• $218,000
• 750 Maximum horsepower
• 0-60 mph: 2.6 seconds
• 1/4-mile: n/a
• Top speed: 161 mph
• Weight: 5,101 pounds

On The Track

A glance at the above specs reveals that the Tesla has an edge in performance numbers (0-60, quarter-mile, and top speed). But does this hold true where the rubber meets the road? 

DragTimes conducted three races to showcase how the three fastest production sedans fared. A few seconds into the first heat, the Taycan looks like it's at a standstill. Despite the Porsche's 750 horsepower, the Lucid and Tesla leave the Taycan in their collective dust. And towards the end of the run, we see the Tesla take a solid position at the head of the pack.   

A second race reveals nearly identical results as the Model S again trounces both the Air and the Taycan. A third match-up (a rolling race) offers Lucid and Porsche enthusiasts hope. Initially, the trio is neck-and-neck on the strip, but dreams are dashed as the Taycon gets left behind. Eventually, the Air loses ground to the Tesla and becomes a perpetual silver medal winner in this contest of superfast sedans. 

Post-Race Analysis

Tesla's top-tier performance specs on paper were validated on the track. It's an achievement that the automaker should take pride in. At the same point, Tesla is way ahead in the world of performance EVs (the Model S tri-motor setup and lower weight undoubtedly helped with the race). Of course, Elon and crew have had the luxury of time to maximize the company's engineering.

But, Lucid deserves its props, too. Less than four months after its first car left the factory, the company is nipping at the heals of the world's fast production car. Incredibly, we also live in an era when a 750-horsepower Porsche doesn't pass muster. But, it's safe to say that we'll see better performance someday from both Lucid and Porsche as the competitive nature of the car business won't disappear with the internal combustion engine.

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This article was written by the Daily Lucid. The Daily Lucid is the #1 source for Lucid Motors News and Lucid Group news, rumors, and reviews. Subscribe to our Newsletter for all the latest news.