The BMW iX3’s range, performance, and value make it a new frontrunner in the electric luxury SUV segment. But it isn’t easy being king. Establishing a new benchmark means there’s a lot of people aiming at you. Perhaps the most recent example comes via news that American EV manufacturer Lucid is setting sights at a launch in the United Kingdom next year with their iX3 competitor, the Lucid Cosmos. Details are light on the mid-size electric SUV, but it has all the makings of a vehicle that will give BMW’s iX3 a serious run for its money.
At first glance, Lucid choosing an iX3 rival as its first car in the UK isn’t the most obviously logical course of action. After all, Lucid already has two models in production — the Gravity and Air — and neither are slated for a UK debut. “To engineer Air and Gravity for right-hand drive is a big investment,” European Lucid President Lawrence Hamilton told Autocar early this week. “There has to be a return on that investment. The volume opportunity really exists with the mid-size cars,” he says. Hamilton also sees commercial potential for the Lucid Earth, a more off-road version of the Cosmos.
What Exactly is the Lucid Cosmos?
So, how much of a threat is the Lucid Cosmos to the iX3? Details are light, but intel suggests a new platform relying on 800-volt architecture. It should be capable of adding around 200 miles of range in less than 15 minutes of charging. However, firm range and performance estimates are anyone’s guess still. The car’s new “Atlas” drive motor system is lighter, less expensive to make, and has fewer components than the current version, “Zeus,” which underpins the Gravity. A simplified network of ECUs in the car — there’s just three — and minimal physical wiring sets the car up for a good deal of futureproofing, as well as simplifying production. Simple, affordable production is integral to the car’s alleged $50,000 price point to start.
Lucid Atlas batteries, relative to competitors. Photo courtesy Lucid Motors.
That $50,000 sticker feels quite ambitious to us. But if Lucid manages it, Cosmos would undercut the $60,000-ish iX3 by at least a few thousand dollars. But that’s in the United States. To the UK point, the newly announced iX3 40 should be much more comparable to the entry-level Lucid; that version will debut at around £53,250 in the UK this summer. Pricing certainly seems competitive; but what about range? Lucid’s current offerings are range monsters — the Lucid Air offers up to 512 miles of range — so it would be odd if Cosmos didn’t carry on in similar tradition. Performance, too, is likely to be at least on par with the entry level rear-wheel drive iX3 40. With around 315 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque (500 Nm), the lower tier iX3 still won’t feel sluggish. For reference, the Air Pure, Lucid’s current least-powerful offering, makes do with 430 horsepower.
Lucid Midsize SUV harness. Courtesy of Lucid Motors.
Lucid’s still a newcomer to the arena. European expansion has only just begun, and it’s clear the brand is looking to make a grand entrance with a solid volume seller. To that end, the car has got to be good — which, based on the brand’s current offerings, might come naturally. Of course, BMW’s longevity and established roots make it a “safe” choice; whereas Lucid’s future seems to range from murky to hopeful, depending on who you ask and where you look. Either way, the Lucid Cosmos might be a serious iX3 rival. We wager BMW looks forward to the challenge.
Via: Autocar
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
Source: https://www.bmwblog.com/2026/04/08/luci ... suv-rival/