00:44 24-07-2026

Lucid Cosmos: lighter Atlas motor and a smaller battery aim to undercut the Tesla Model Y

Lucid is prepping a Tesla Model Y rival: the Cosmos pairs a smaller 69 kWh battery with the new Atlas drive unit for up to 300 miles of range.

The upcoming Lucid Cosmos is expected to travel about 300 miles (483 km) using roughly 69 kWh of energy. Editors at 32CARS calculated that figure works out to around 14.3 kWh per 100 km, and it allows Lucid to shrink both the mass and the cost of the traction battery. However, 69 kWh cannot yet be called an officially confirmed capacity for the production battery: Lucid used the number as an example of how much energy the car would need to hit its stated range.

Cosmos will be the first vehicle built on Lucid’s new midsize platform. The five-seat crossover is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y, the Rivian R2 and other mainstream EVs, with a starting price expected to stay below $50,000. The more rugged Earth SUV will follow, and the two models are set to share around 95% of their components.

The powertrain is built around Lucid’s new Atlas drive unit. According to Lucid, the new motor is 23% lighter than the current-generation units, uses more than 30% fewer parts, and costs less to build. The all-wheel-drive version is claimed to reach 60 mph — 97 km/h — in around 3.5 seconds.

Projected efficiency reaches 4.3–4.5 miles per kWh, or roughly 13.8–14.5 kWh per 100 km. Lucid claims that is about 10% better than the closest comparable rival. By comparison, the current Tesla Model Y in the US offers between 294 and 357 miles of range depending on the trim, so the Cosmos won’t necessarily out-range the Tesla — its edge is meant to come from lower energy consumption and a cheaper battery.

The 800V architecture should allow the car to add more than 200 miles, or about 320 km, in 14 minutes on a powerful DC fast charger. Lucid has also confirmed bidirectional power transfer for running external devices, another EV, or a home. Actual speeds will depend on battery temperature, state of charge, and the charger’s capabilities.

For buyers, efficiency matters for more than just range. A smaller battery pack charges faster, weighs less, and is potentially cheaper to replace after damage. But before the reveal, Lucid still has to disclose the actual battery capacity, its chemistry for each trim, the warranty, and the certified range. For now, the Cosmos remains a promising project rather than a proven rival to the Model Y.