Lucid’s Tri-Motor retakes Tesla’s Plaid record at Laguna Seca

Lucid’s Tri-Motor configuration for its first vehicle, the Air, has set the track record at the historic Laguna Seca Raceway in Southern California. The Air reclaimed the record from the Plaid Mode Model S, which set the track record in September 2019 after completing the 2.238-mile circuit in 1:36.555 seconds.

A video from The Kilowatts on September 17, 2020, showed raw footage of the Lucid Air Tri-Motor variant running spirited laps at Laguna Seca. According to Ryan from the Kilowatts, the lap was completed in 1:33 seconds. This is an unofficial time as of right now, but if correct, it would beat the Model S Plaid Powertrain by just over 3.5 seconds.

Lucid just beat Tesla!

Looks like they are testing their mysterious Tri-Motor powertrain and will announce official times after @Tesla Unveils Model S Plaid

Nothing official yet but we just saw a 1:33 that looked like a walk in the park.#LucidAir #Teslahttps://t.co/55elVX7iiO pic.twitter.com/pECxtrXY1Z

— The Kilowatts (@klwtts) September 17, 2020

The Lucid Air initially set a record at Laguna Seca on September 9, 2018, when it completed a lap in 1:41.67. This time has been overtaken several times, first by the Jaguar XE SV Project 8, which set an all-time record of 1:37.54.

The Model 3 Performance then broke that record from Tesla, which bested the Jaguar by just .04 seconds, recording a 1:37.5-second lap.

However, the Plaid Model S arrived on the scene shortly after Tesla had announced its existence. The Plaid Powertrain was released on the heels of the Porsche Taycan’s public debut in 2019 and vowed to overtake the German automaker’s EV in every sense of the word. While the Taycan has not run at Laguna Seca, the Tri-Motor Plaid Model S from Tesla smashed the Model 3 Performance’s record by just under a second, marking a 1:36.555-second lap just a few days after setting the track record at the Nürburgring in Germany.

It appears that Lucid’s deliberate withholding of its Tri-Motor powertrain was effectively a jab at the company’s attempt to one-up Tesla. Rumors have circulated for some time now that Tesla could reveal the release date of the Model S Plaid powertrain at the company’s upcoming Battery Day event. Lucid may be anticipating this announcement, looking to spoil the plans of Tesla’s dramatic and highly-anticipated event that will take place next Tuesday.

The time of the Lucid Tri-Motor is not yet official, but Kilowatts recorded video of the car running laps at Laguna Seca. Let us know in the comments or on Twitter what you think!

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