Luxury car brand Lucid recently unveiled its latest innovation: RangeXchange. This feature allows Lucid Air models to charge other electric vehicles (EVs). But it is not a replacement for charging with a charging station. Let's dig deeper into what this means exactly.

RangeXchange: how does it work?

Lucid's RangeXchange technology uses a special charging cable adapter. This allows you to connect and charge 2 electric cars. With a charging speed of 9.6 kW, this adapter can add between 30 and 60 kilometres of range per hour to most electric models. It is important to know that the actual speed of charging may vary depending on the energy efficiency of the receiving vehicle and environmental conditions.

Previously known as V2V charging

This technology has long been known as two-way charging or 'vehicle-to-vehicle'. Literally, therefore, it means charging a vehicle through another vehicle. This can be done by connecting household appliances, for example, but in this case, it also means an electric car. What many people are also familiar with is the concept ofV2G charging  , where you give extra power from your EV back to the grid.

Other manufacturers such as Kia and Hyundai have also already come forward with this technology in their EVs, but Lucid goes a step further by offering a special charging cable that makes charging between 2 cars easier and faster.

Wunderbox's role

The function is made possible by the built-in bi-directional Wunderbox batteryin the Lucid Air model. With this battery, your electric car could charge almost 400 km of driving range in just 15 minutes.

Useful for emergencies

This technology could come in handy in emergencies. Especially since the Lucid can charge with almost every other EV model on the market.

Imagine being on the side of the road with a nearly dead battery. Luckily, a Lucid Air is driving by. With RangeXchange technology, that helpful driver can connect his vehicle to yours and share enough power so you can drive to the nearest charging station.

In reality, this practical feature is unlikely to be used on a daily basis. These days, charging points are everywhere and the chances of being stranded with a flat battery are pretty slim. But it is still reassuring to know that this tool exists, as a kind of electric lifeline. It adds a touch of peace of mind to the everyday electric driving experience.

No substitute for a charging station

It is important to note that RangeXchange is useful for emergencies without a charging station nearby, but it is not a replacement for charging stations. Electric vehicles should still use the existing charging infrastructure, as this ensures that your battery has a longer life. The feature is meant as an extra option, not an alternative way of charging.

Available in the United States

The new feature will first be available in the US. The feature can be enabled via a wireless software update that will be automatically added to all Lucid Air models.

But there is a small drawback: to use this feature, you have to buy the separate charging cable, which will amount to around 120 euros. So it's not a cheap tool.