The Tesla Model S has enjoyed a healthy amount of time as the top dog in the electric sedan world. However, as battery technology improves, and more brands embrace electric vehicles, competition is inevitable. One of the most intriguing brands stepping up to the plate to battle is Lucid Motor and its Lucid Air luxury sedan. According to InsideEVs, the EV carmaker recently announced that the cheapest Lucid Air would start at $69,900. Keep in mind that this and all of the prices we’ll be discussing include a federal tax credit of $7,500 factored into them.

The most expensive Lucid Air costs $161,500

The recent price announcement for the base model Lucid Air completes the trim lineup for the new EV. At the bottom of the trim levels, we’ve got the Air Pure, which starts at $69,900. For this, you get 480 hp from a single-motor configuration that sends all of its power to the rear wheels. However, a major highlight for the Lucid Air is that it offers a projected 406 miles of range, making it quite competitive.

Next up, we’ve got the Lucid Air Touring, which will set you back $87,500. The base model’s biggest difference is that the Touring develops 620 hp from a dual-motor setup directing power to all four wheels. Remarkably, Lucid claims the Touring will provide a projected range of 406 miles.

If 650 hp wasn’t enough, you could opt for the Lucid Air Grand Touring, which offers 800 hp and up to 517 miles of projected range. However, these upgrades come with a steep price increase, starting at $131,500.

The range-topping trim is the Lucid Air Dream Edition. With 1,080 horsepower on tap, it is by far the most powerful. Despite the massive output, the Dream Edition has a projected electric range of 503 miles, as you’d expect; the price shoots into the stratosphere given that it starts at $161,500.

When will the Air arrive?

Like with most new EV carmakers, the most expensive model will be the first to reach customers. According to Lucid Motors, the Lucid Air Dream Edition is set to be available in the spring of 2021. It is worth noting that COVID-19 cases are increasing drastically in the U.S. at the time of writing, and some delays are a possibility.

As we move down the Lucid Air’s trim list, the wait becomes significantly longer. The Air Grand Touring is set to arrive in the summer of 2021, the Air Touring in late 2021, and the Air Pure in early 2022. As a result, opting for the cheapest options available will have you waiting for the longest. Unfortunately, it seems it will be quite a while before we can compare the Lucid Air and the Tesla Model S in the real world.

How does it stack up to a Tesla?

For the time being, we can only compare the Lucid Air and the Tesla Model S’ stats. In terms of base models, the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus starts at $69,420 yet still offers 402 miles of electric range. Its worth reiterating that without the $7,500 tax credit, the base Air Pure starts at $77,400.

In terms of high-performance models, the Tesla Model S is set to dominate the Lucid Air Dream Edition as well. That’s because the Tesla Model S Plaid starts at $139,990 and features a projected range of over 520 miles and over 1,100 horsepower.

However, the real test will come once we can see the Lucid Air. That’s because the EV carmaker has stated that the Lucid is meant to be ultra-luxurious. For now, if you want the base model of either, the only one available for quite some time is the Tesla.