While the Brussels Motor Show underlines how rapidly Europe’s car market is electrifying, one premium EV brand remains conspicuously absent from the exhibition halls: Lucid Motors.

Yet behind the scenes, the American luxury electric carmaker is quietly preparing for its long-awaited entry into the Belgian market. After almost two years of delay, it’s working to open its first Belgian showroom in Zaventem this summer, marking another cautious step in its European expansion.

Most efficient electric car in the world

Lucid was founded in 2016 by former Tesla chief engineer Peter Rawlinson with the ambition of “building the most efficient electric cars in the world”. Technically, that ambition has been realised.

The Lucid Air still holds the production-car record for the longest distance driven on a single battery charge. Commercially, however, the brand’s European journey has been far more restrained.

While Lucid previously reported range figures from early tests, the latest Guinness World Record (July 2025) confirms that a Lucid Air Grand Touring drove 1,205 km on a single charge between St. Moritz and Munich, setting a new high mark for a production EV.

In an interview with Qismat magazine — a London-based international luxury and lifestyle publication that regularly profiles premium brands, technology leaders, and automotive innovators — Lawrence Hamilton, Lucid’s President for Europe, made clear that the company is playing a long game on the continent.

“Our mission is to elevate electric mobility by delivering the most advanced electric vehicles in the world, without compromise in performance, range, or comfort,” Hamilton said.

Two models for Belgium to start

Belgian customers will initially be offered two familiar Lucid models. The Lucid Air is a large luxury sedan positioned above the Tesla Model S and competing with the Mercedes EQS and Porsche Taycan.

Entry-level versions already promise real-world ranges well beyond 700 kilometers, while higher trims combine all-wheel drive, strong performance, and some of the longest WLTP range figures currently available.

At the very top sits the Air Sapphire, a low-volume, ultra-high-performance model that serves more as a technological showcase than a realistic volume seller in Europe. More strategically important for the Belgian and wider European markets is the Lucid Gravity, a full-size electric SUV expected to launch in 2026.

With up to seven seats, a large battery, and Lucid’s highly efficient 900-volt architecture, the Gravity targets the premium SUV segment that dominates European company-car and family demand.

Well above €100,000

Even the least expensive versions of both Air and Gravity are expected, like in neighboring countries, to be above the price point at which many European buyers begin to seriously consider the total cost of ownership, especially given tax and registration regimes.

Once additional equipment, options, and delivery charges are added — not to mention Belgian fees — the typical on-road price for an Air Touring or Gravity Grand Touring in Belgium will almost certainly exceed €100,000 for retail buyers, or be lower for company-lease customers.

The Lucid Air starts at around €90,000 for the Pure version, while most Touring and Grand Touring variants quickly move into the €120,000-€135,000 range.

The upcoming Gravity SUV follows a similar logic, with European prices expected to begin just below €100,000 and rise to nearly €120,000 for higher trims.

So far, Lucid’s focus has translated into very modest sales volumes. Lucid sold fewer than 300 cars across Europe last year, highlighting how narrow the market for ultra-premium electric vehicles remains.

Building solid foundation

Hamilton has openly acknowledged this reality. In the same Qismat interview, he stressed that the current priority is not rapid volume growth but building a solid foundation. “My focus is on creating a strong retail and service network, ensuring excellence in customer experience and expanding our footprint in key European markets,” he said.

Belgium plays a particular role in that strategy. Despite its limited size, the country is one of Europe’s most important markets for company cars and a key gateway to the wider Benelux region.

Lucid’s choice of Zaventem, close to Brussels Airport and major corporate headquarters, reflects that logic. From there, the brand plans to combine a direct-to-consumer flagship showroom with partnerships involving large dealer groups to ensure national coverage.

Looking ahead, Lucid’s real European test still lies beyond the models now approaching Belgium. Both the Air and Gravity remain niche products due to their price positioning.

Mid-sized SUV for €50,000

The turning point is expected in 2026, when Lucid plans to introduce a mid-size electric SUV priced around €50,000. That model, aimed squarely at Europe’s high-volume premium EV segment, will determine whether Lucid can evolve from a technological halo brand into a meaningful commercial player. The car will be based on a new mid-size EV platform, designed to enable higher production volumes and lower costs than the Air and Gravity architectures.

While detailed specifications have not yet been released, Lucid has indicated that the new model will retain the brand’s core strengths — high efficiency, long real-world range, and compact powertrain packaging — but in a smaller, lighter, and more affordable format. Production is expected to start in late 2026, with Europe firmly in its sights from the outset.

For now, Lucid’s Belgian arrival is less about immediate sales numbers and more about presence and credibility. Elsewhere in Europe, the brand is active in a limited number of carefully selected markets, including the Netherlands, where it has its European headquarters in Amsterdam. Also in Germany, Switzerland, and Norway, customers can order the Lucid Air and, in due course, the Gravity SUV through dedicated showrooms.

Sales volumes remain modest, but these countries form the backbone of Lucid’s European presence ahead of further expansion. While missing the Brussels Motor Show, Lucid is betting that its efficiency-first engineering philosophy and carefully paced rollout will eventually secure a place for it in Europe’s electric future — starting, at last, with Belgium.