Lucid Motors Product Design
We, as consumers, tend to embrace and align ourselves with brands. Consumers can selectively express who they are and what they believe in through brands.
In the Fall 2020 semester, I investigated and predicted the wants and needs of target audiences, developed new product ideas to a higher level of refinement, built my skills in 3D computer modeling and rendering and worked within the constraints of a brand identity.
MY ROLE
Product Designer
Design Researcher
TIMELINE
2 months
THE TEAM
School project
(individual)
TOOLS
Fusion 360, 3D printer
01
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAND
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Form, style and persona of the Lucid Air
To build a completely new product based on Lucid Air, I first built up a deep understanding of the forms, style, and persona of the new vehicle model. This not only required me to develop proposals that incorporated Lucid Motor’s identity, but it also required that I find an innovative and appropriate niche for my new product.
"We set out to create a car that elevates the human experience and transcends the perceived limitations of space, performance, and intelligence. A car that is intuitive, liberating, and designed for all the ways people get around."
UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCT AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
Lucid Air
Lucid Air is an EV designed by Darek Jenkins who turned his focus on a clean and simple design. Lucid's overarching philosophy is rooted in their California DNA and leveraging their home state's optimism and pioneering spirit.
I identified 3 main Lucid Air characteristics:
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Sophisticated
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Sleek
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Luxorious
Logo Design
The logo employs contrasting thick and thin weights designed to add a dynamic quality to each letterform.
I identified 3 Lucid Motors logo characteristics:
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Elongated
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Modern
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Sleek
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Timeless
Color Palette
The color palette is built around a 24-hour color wheel, inspired by tonal shifts of light during California's twilight hours.
Current EV trends
People are either traveling much less because they discovered how much they can get done from home. Or, their commute by car might have increased to avoid public transport.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES DROPPED BY 13% IN APRIL 202
This is in comparison to an 80% drop in the total European market in April 2020; however, researchers are not sure if that’s a trend or only a quirk.
COMPANIES HAVE STARTED SELLING MORE SUVs
SUVs generally produce higher profits and have been a more desirable car during the pandemic because of the lower price of gas.
THE PANDEMIC IS INTERFERING WITH HUMAN ROAD TESTING
In terms of innovation, the pandemic is interfering with human road testing of self-driving cars which would enable them to perfect the technology.
Details on the vehicle that represent its character
GLASS CANOPY
A feature that gives the vehicle an open and airy experience.
VISION
An ultra-slim lighting system that mimics insect eyes by utilizing thousands of micro-lenses.
02
3D MODELING
FIRST PRODUCT
Lucid Spoon
For my first cross-branded product I designed a kitchen spoon inspired by my vehicle/brand. I mainly looked at the elegance of the vehicle and its fast-looking features.
SECOND PRODUCT
Lucid Chess set
I developed a complete set of chess pieces derived from the vehicle that I researched. I designed an 8x8 chess board where I arranged both the ‘classic’ (white) and your ‘vehicle’ (black) pieces on it.
THIRD PRODUCT
Lucid Kitchen Blender
For this cross-branded assignment, I found iconic aspects of my vehicle and translated them into an enclosure for my speaker hardware. I mainly focused on the long, curvy shapes in my vehicle’s interior for the exterior hardware. Furthermore, I got the inspiration for the buttons from the main vehicle display; and for the color and material, from the main material used for the vehicle’s seats.
FORTH PRODUCT
Lucid Speaker
For this cross-branded assignment, I found iconic aspects of my vehicle and translated them into an enclosure for my speaker hardware. I mainly focused on the long, curvy shapes in my vehicle’s interior for the exterior hardware. Furthermore, I got the inspiration for the buttons from the main vehicle display; and for the color and material, from the main material used for the vehicle’s seats.
03
REFLECTION
Challenges I faced along the way.
Difficulties learning Fusion 360. One of the biggest challenges was learning how to use Fusion 360 to produce geometry, technical drawings, and rendered images, and learning to export my geometry to additive manufacturing technologies. At the beginning of the semester, I didn’t know how to use the 3D modeling software yet, so I found it difficult to use the software to my advantage and transform my sketches into rendered images and 3D geometry.
What I'd do differently next time.
Importance of initial research. One of the main lessons that I learned through the cross-branded assignments, was the importance of initial research into the company and its product. At first, I found it difficult to come up with a cross-branded product because I didn't fully understand what features and characteristics make Lucid Motors unique. With the help of my professor's feedback, I took a step back in the middle of the semester and conducted deep company and industry research.