Lucid Motors, the California-based electric vehicle (EV) startup, is gearing up to open a new $10 million engineering and research office in Southfield this April, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Friday.
The startup, known for its luxury EVs such as the Air sedan and the upcoming Gravity SUV, is slated to present its proposal for the new facility to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Strategic Fund Board on Tuesday. The company is seeking a $6 million performance-based grant to support the initiative.
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The Southfield office is expected to generate over 250 jobs and will be located at the Travelers Towers on Evergreen Road, according to the source. However, a leasing manager for the property declined to comment when contacted on Friday.
Lucid Motors already has 25 remote employees based in Michigan, adding to its growing presence in the state. The company, headquartered in Newark, California, operates a production facility in Arizona as well. The Southfield office will mark Lucid’s third employment hub.
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This development comes at a critical juncture for the EV industry, which is facing challenges such as slowing sales growth, range anxiety among consumers, limited charging infrastructure, and the relatively high prices of EVs compared to traditional gas-powered vehicles.
