Lucid Group Inc. (LCID) can't seem to catch a break. The electric vehicle maker's stock collapsed to an all-time low Thursday, even as the company tried to inject some positive news with a new, more affordable SUV variant.
A Cheaper Gravity That's Still Not Cheap
The centerpiece of Thursday's announcements was the Gravity Touring SUV, launching at $79,900. That's the "affordable" version—sitting below the Gravity Grand Touring trim that starts at $94,900. The pricing tells you everything about where Lucid is positioned in the EV market: squarely in luxury territory, competing more on premium credentials than mass-market appeal.
The Gravity Touring does come with some practical advantages. It features NACS port capabilities, meaning owners get access to Tesla Inc. (TSLA)'s extensive Supercharger network. The vehicle runs on an 89kWh battery pack delivering 337 miles of range—respectable numbers in today's EV landscape.
The Revenue Picture Wasn't Pretty
Unfortunately for Lucid, the product news was overshadowed by disappointing financial results. The company posted third-quarter revenue of $336.58 million, falling short of analyst expectations of $379.11 million. That's a miss of over $40 million, which raises questions about demand and pricing power.
Adding to the concerning optics, the company announced that Eric Bach, Senior Vice President of product and lead engineer, departed from his role. Leadership changes during challenging times rarely inspire confidence among investors.
Production Cuts and Debt Worries
Perhaps most troubling for long-term investors, Lucid reduced its 2025 production guidance to a range of 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles, backing away from its previous target of 20,000 units. Context matters here: the company delivered 4,078 vehicles and produced just 3,891 units during the third quarter. Scaling remains a persistent challenge.
Then there's the elephant in the room—equity dilution concerns. Lucid recently announced an offering of $875 million in convertible senior notes due 2031, aimed at addressing near-term debt obligations. While necessary for survival, dilution worries tend to weigh heavily on existing shareholders.
The Market's Verdict
Price Action: LCID shares plunged 6.01% to close at an all-time low of $11.72. After-hours trading brought a modest recovery, with shares climbing 0.68% to $11.80, according to market data.
For a company burning through cash while trying to scale production and establish itself in a brutally competitive EV market, the path forward looks increasingly challenging. The Gravity Touring may broaden appeal slightly, but Lucid needs to solve much bigger problems around production efficiency and financial sustainability.