The 2024 Lucid Air Pure Is Modernist Design Perfected

Before World War II, design in America was influenced heavily by Victorian-era sensibilities that emphasized the expression of wealth over livability. In America’s post-war boom, this ornamented, stuffy style fell in favor of modernism, which had its origins in the Weimar German Staatliches Bauhaus school. The Bauhaus rejected unnecessary ornamentation, and instead sought to unify all design under one universal principle: Form follows function. 

Where Victorian architecture featured intricate craftsmanship and dimly-lit rooms with dark woods and deep tones, Bauhaus focused on clean lines and open, airy spaces. In its best implementations, the Bauhaus has influenced timeless design and tasteful luxury: Mid-century modern Eames chairs, the Helvetica font, and the International-Style UN World Headquarters in New York City all have roots in the Bauhaus. 

The Lucid Air—especially in its most-attainable, most-efficient form, the new Pure RWD— deserves to be added to this list. 

At a glance, the car market is chock-full of attempts at modernist simplicity. Brushed aluminum, and flat dashes uninterrupted by physical buttons are commonplace, especially in luxury EVs like the Lucid Air. Many of these screen-centric minimalist interiors, however, are frustrating to use. Key functionalities are hidden in menus, concealed when they’re needed most. Important information goes undisplayed in the name of cleanliness. These cars frustrate drivers because, despite the modernist aesthetics, function has still taken a backseat to form, just like a Victorian-era fainting couch.

The Lucid Air’s cabin is truly modernist; despite a minimalist appearance, it focuses on usability first. Four buttons (fan and temperature controls for driver and passenger) and a stereo volume knob are the only physical controls. Everything else is controlled via a wrap-around 34-inch instrument/infotainment cluster paired with a center retractable screen Lucid calls the Pilot Panel. While driving the Air, I never needed to search more than one menu deep for any functionality aside from syncing a cell phone for the first time. As a result, I felt as though I’d mastered its cabin within an hour. 

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