The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall for certain models of the Lucid Air electric sedan manufactured between 2022 and 2024 due to significant safety concerns. The recall highlights issues with the vehicle’s high voltage system and windshield defrost function, affecting thousands of vehicles.
According to a report submitted by Lucid to the NHTSA on July 1, at least ten instances of abrupt loss of drive have been observed due to a fault in the vehicle’s high-voltage system. Specifically, 5,251 model year 2022 and 2023 vehicles manufactured before December 2022 are at risk. The report states, “Lucid has determined that in 5,251 model year 2022 and 2023 U.S. vehicles manufactured prior to December 2022, the possibility of intermittent hardware connections leading to loss of drive power while in Drive or Reverse due to HVIL logic poses an unreasonable safety risk.” Although the occurrence rate is 0.2%, it represents a serious safety risk.
Additionally, Lucid identified a separate issue affecting at least 74 Air sedans manufactured before February 2023. These vehicles have a malfunctioning “High Voltage Coolant Heater” (HVCH), which prevents the windshield from defrosting, potentially obstructing the driver’s vision and increasing the risk of a crash. The report notes, “Before the software remedy, there was no visual warning indicator for an HVCH failure. A vehicle with a failed HVCH will not produce warm air for the windshield defroster. Drivers would also experience a loss of cabin heat when an HVCH fails.”
While the power loss and defrost failure issues concern thousands of vehicles, the estimated defect rate is just 1% or less. Lucid has advised owners to update their vehicle software to remedy these defects. Notifications with instructions on performing the update or seeking assistance from dealerships will be emailed at no cost to the owners.
This recall underscores the ongoing challenges automakers face as they continue to develop and refine electric vehicle technology, which is still heavily dependent on software.
