Lucid Air Recall Warns Of Sudden Power Loss In Its Cheapest Sedan
Lucid's Rough Patch Keeps Going
The Lucid Air has had a tough run lately. Last month, Lucid recalled some Air Pure rear-wheel-drive models because loose half-shaft bolts could cause a loss of propulsion. At the same time, YouTuber and engineer Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained shared his own frustrations after a drawn-out service experience with his Lucid Air.
Now there's another issue, this time with the Air's inverter – the part that controls how the electric motor gets its power. Lucid is recalling 2,039 Air sedans after finding a defect that could cause the car to suddenly lose drive power, according to a new NHTSA filing.
This recall affects specific 2024 and 2025 Lucid Air Pure rear-wheel-drive models built from September 13, 2023 to December 12, 2024. All of them use what Lucid calls the Gen 4 inverter.
What Exactly is Going Wrong?
The problem comes down to the inverter, which turns battery power into electricity for the motor. Lucid found that friction inside the Gen 4 inverter can damage internal parts, eventually causing the switching module to fail. If that happens, the inverter stops working as it should, and the car can lose drive power without warning. That obviously raises the risk of a crash.
Lucid traced the problem to vibrations from the motor, which slowly wear down parts inside the inverter. The issue first showed up in March 2025, mostly in fleet cars that see heavy use. Later, it started happening in customer cars as well. Between March 2025 and March 2026, Lucid counted 55 inverter failures linked to this defect, including one reported to NHTSA.
Only the Air Pure rear-wheel-drive models are affected, since they use a single rear drive unit. Dual-motor versions have a backup, so if one system fails, the car can still move.
Here's What Owners Should Do
Lucid's fix starts with software, then hardware if needed. Around the end of June 2026, they'll send out an over-the-air update that gives drivers better warnings before the inverter fails. If there's a problem, owners will see a message saying: "Drive System Fault, Schedule Service Immediately." Based on past cases, Lucid says drivers should get about 100 miles of warning before the car actually breaks down.
If you get the warning, bring your car to a Lucid Service Center for a check. If needed, Lucid will swap out the Gen 4 inverter for a new one at no cost. Owners should start getting notifications on July 10, 2026.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 7:15 AM.