In partnership with Ümit Sabancı
Lucid Group has set a new world record for the longest distance travelled by an electric vehicle on a single charge, completing a 1,205-kilometre journey between Switzerland and Germany. The feat, verified by Guinness World Records, surpassed the previous record of 1,045 kilometres set in June 2025.
The journey, which began in St. Moritz and ended in Munich, included a mix of alpine roads, motorways, and secondary routes. The car used for the attempt was the Lucid Air Grand Touring, a luxury electric sedan equipped with the company’s proprietary battery and drivetrain technology.
The record run was organised in partnership with Ümit Sabancı, a London-based entrepreneur who previously set another EV endurance record in 2024. That effort involved visiting nine countries on a single charge using the same vehicle model. Both record attempts were completed using production-spec cars.
Lucid’s new benchmark was achieved without modifications to the vehicle’s standard configuration. According to testing under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), the Lucid Air Grand Touring has a range of up to 960 kilometres and an energy consumption rate as low as 13.5 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometres.
Sabancı, who drove the vehicle during the recent record attempt, described the achievement as a continuation of earlier efforts to demonstrate the capabilities of EVs. He stated that the goal was to challenge perceptions about EV range limitations and prove that long-distance travel is viable with current battery technology.
The announcement comes at a time when range anxiety remains a key concern for EV adoption in many parts of the Middle East and Africa. Large distances between urban centres, limited public charging infrastructure, and extreme climate conditions all contribute to slower uptake compared with more developed markets.
In the Gulf region, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, governments are investing in EV infrastructure and manufacturing. However, consumers continue to place high importance on vehicle range and charging times. Record-setting achievements like this are viewed by analysts as potentially helping to build trust in the technology.
Lucid Group, listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, has positioned its vehicles in the premium segment of the EV market. The Lucid Air Grand Touring is equipped with an 831-horsepower powertrain and can reach speeds of up to 270 km/h. It also supports ultra-fast charging, which the company claims can add around 400 kilometres of range in just 16 minutes when connected to a high-powered charging station.
Although Lucid has struggled with financial headwinds and supply chain issues in recent quarters, the company remains focused on expanding its footprint, including in the Middle East. In 2023, the company announced plans to build a factory in Saudi Arabia as part of the kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 industrial strategy.
As EVs become more prevalent across global markets, endurance records are increasingly utilised by manufacturers to showcase efficiency gains and advancements in battery management systems. Industry observers say that range performance, particularly under real-world conditions, remains a critical differentiator for buyers.
Lucid’s achievement may also put pressure on rival automakers to improve their battery efficiency. While many EVs on the market now exceed 500 kilometres of range, few have approached the 1,000-kilometre threshold under mixed driving conditions.
The record-setting drive has been officially entered into the Guinness World Records database. While the journey covered central Europe, the relevance of such milestones is growing across the Middle East, where long-range electric vehicles could play a key role in supporting regional sustainability targets.
Hero image: The journey, which began in St. Moritz and ended in Munich, included a mix of alpine roads, motorways, and secondary routes. Credit: Lucid
