In a nutshell: Lucid Motors on Wednesday announced plans to open 20 retail and service centers throughout North America by the end of 2021. The outposts will help interested parties learn more about the company's offerings while guiding buyers through the purchasing process and supporting owners after the sale.
The retail locations, known as Lucid Studios, will primarily be located in high-traffic areas and have a relatively small footprint for a more intimate feel. As TechCrunch highlights, the automaker isn't explicitly labeling these as sales centers as doing so could put the company in violation of regulations that some states have as it relates to manufacturers selling vehicles directly to consumers rather than going through a dealership.
"A Lucid Studio is a place for people to learn about our unique brand while supporting every facet of the customer journey," said CEO Peter Rawlinson.
The first Lucid Studios will open in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, San Jose, Miami, West Palm Beach, New York City and the DC Metro area, the automaker said.
Lucid is also working to build a nationwide network of physical service centers to support customers after the sale with issues that can't be diagnosed and repaired remotely. Like Tesla, Lucid will largely rely on over-the-air updates to keep its vehicles loaded with the latest technology.
Only one service center - in Beverly Hills - has been confirmed thus far.
Lucid Motors will reveal the final production version of its first electric vehicle, the Lucid Air, during an online presentation scheduled for September 9, 2020. The unveiling was originally supposed to happen in April at the New York International Auto Show but was postponed due to Covid-19.