In 2024, when Tesla unveiled the Cybercab, numerous individuals were confounded by the car manufacturer’s choice to configure it with only two seats. My own initial observations at the LA Auto Show later that year mirrored these sentiments: What sort of taxi offers just two seating positions? Beyond a tuktuk, such a concept strikes one as utterly preposterous and improbable to ever be desired.
This dominant viewpoint appears to have persisted for eighteen months. Across Reddit and other social media platforms, users have offered their opinions regarding the practicality — or lack thereof — of a two-seat robotaxi. One commenter humorously remarked, “For a special discount, you could affix extra passengers atop the vehicle.” Nonetheless, last month saw the commencement of production for the initial Tesla Cybercab, and now test models have been observed operating on both public thoroughfares and within the premises of Tesla’s Austin, Texas manufacturing facility.
However, should you have believed the Cybercab would be the sole recipient of all the anti-two-seater condemnation, a second such vehicle has now emerged.
During Lucid Motors’ Shareholder Event in New York City this month, the executive leadership outlined the EV manufacturer’s strategy for achieving financial viability. This encompasses three novel models built on a more economical intermediate-sized architecture — with the first scheduled for release next year — a completely new electric propulsion system, and a sustained emphasis on partially automated driving capabilities and autonomous taxi collaborations.
Subsequently, in a surprise announcement, Lucid’s acting CEO Marc Winterhoff unveiled a concept vehicle that had been concealed behind drapery at one end of the hall. This two-seat robotaxi concept, named the Lucid Lunar, was exhibited doorless to highlight its cabin area and ample storage compartment. Recollections of the Tesla Cybercab, distinct yet analogous, sprang to mind.
During an “informal discussion” with Uber’s Andrew Macdonald, Winterhoff disclosed that the ride-hailing service has committed to acquiring 20,000 Gravitys equipped with autonomous taxi sensing equipment and programs from Nuro. Both entities also intend to pursue a comparable agreement concerning a forthcoming Lucid intermediate EV model.
Several hours of discussion with Lucid Motors executives were required for me to grasp the true reasons for my erroneous initial assessment regarding two-seat robotaxis. I also came to understand why global ride-sharing operators *could* procure massive numbers of them. This is, naturally, presuming that these autonomous taxis demonstrate safety, dependability, do not significantly exacerbate city traffic, and are considerably more economical for ride-hail fleets compared to current human operators utilizing diverse electric and internal combustion vehicle models.
As a baseline, implementing two-seat robotaxis would necessitate an additional action during the requesting procedure: Each patron would need to specify the number of individuals traveling, to guarantee the arrival of a vehicle with adequate seating capacity. Patrons would probably tolerate this extra step in the process, particularly if two-passenger vehicles offered a more affordable option than other choices.
The Lucid Lunar concept incorporates an identical expansive horizontal screen on the dashboard as the Lucid Cosmos, yet lacks a steering mechanism. It would be constructed upon a condensed iteration of the intermediate-sized foundation that will form the basis for the Cosmos and its two companion models, a design choice set to yield significant economic efficiencies on the fundamental structure. The Lunar is both closer to the ground and more compact than the Cosmos, and — my moment of realization — it was conceived for maximum energy efficiency and minimal expense for prospective purchasers.
Image: John Voelcker / The Verge
More compact, less weighty, MORE AFFORDABLE!
During their informal discussion, Winterhoff and Macdonald observed that over ninety percent of the journeys Uber facilitates currently involve solely one or two occupants. Additional research indicates a marginally smaller percentage, though nonetheless a significant majority. The rationale behind the vehicle’s design, as Lucid chief engineer Zach Walker later explained, stemmed from the understanding that the requirements of ride-hail fleet operators vary considerably from those of private motorists.
Physical principles necessitate that a two-seat EV will be more compact and less heavy compared to a multi-seat counterpart. This will render it more economical to
acquire and run, chiefly because they can deliver the requisite travel distance from a smaller battery capacity — which will be more economical and replenish power more quickly for an equivalent distance. Ride-sharing companies will demand autonomous taxis with the very lowest total cost of ownership, to render the expensive technology viable against conventionally piloted vehicles.
The requirements for transportation network fleet managers vary considerably from the desires of private motorists
Principal engineer Walker states that a decrease of 1 kWh in battery capacity could economize $1,000 annually in energy replenishment expenses for an autonomous taxi service, assuming it travels 100,000 miles annually. What level of efficiency might that two-passenger autonomous vehicle achieve compared to a four-passenger compact electric car? Walker indicated that Lucid anticipates efficiencies of 5.5 miles per kilowatt-hour, potentially reaching 6 mi/kWh, under normal operating conditions. (By way of comparison, the most fuel-efficient electric vehicle currently available in the United States is the rear-wheel-drive Lucid Air Pure, boasting an EPA efficiency rating of 146 MPGe, which equates to 4.4 mi/kWh.)
Furthermore, he mentioned, a beneficial cycle emerges, encompassing not only diminished dimensions and mass but also purpose-built design. Walker pointed out that Lucid vehicles purchased by private consumers are expected to possess exceptional grip and maneuverability; this forms an integral part of the brand’s identity. However, the predetermined conduct of an autonomous taxi’s navigation software, along with the boundaries of its anticipated performance, are ascertainable beforehand. Consequently, it will not subject the vehicle to the same rigorous demands on handling as some individual proprietors might. This implies that the suspension systems can be calibrated for enhanced ride quality, employing plianter and simpler bearings. According to Walker, this might even allow Lucid to lessen or remove specific structural reinforcements and supports typically needed to maintain rigidity during aggressive driving actions.
1/4Photograph: John Voelcker / The Verge
The Tesla and Lucid two-passenger vehicles are both designed to be low-profile and streamlined, thereby reducing air resistance. This design notably enhances fuel economy at velocities of 30 mph or greater, particularly when the power needed to counteract atmospheric friction surpasses that necessary for the vehicle’s propulsion. Such a characteristic proves beneficial for journeys to airports involving highway travel, though it offers less utility for excursions primarily confined to metropolitan areas, a point Reilly Brennan of Trucks VC highlights in his regular bulletin.
Brennan pondered the rationale behind the resemblance of autonomous taxi designs to two-door coupes, notwithstanding the constraints this presents for ingress and egress. As an alternative, he put forth a renowned concept by designer Giorgetto Giugiaro for a contemporary New York City taxi, conceived five decades prior. This design remains sharp, current, and elevated — offering simpler boarding and alighting compared to a coupe.
However, Giugiaro’s elevated, boxy, and vertical aesthetic would pose a hurdle regarding aerodynamic drag. Nevertheless, Brennan remains persuaded that this is the optimal methodology. “The majority of journeys for these vehicles will occur at reduced speeds within city limits, rendering concerns about the Cd [drag coefficient] largely irrelevant,” he communicated via electronic mail.
Upon viewing the Lucid Lunar, each journalist present at Lucid Investor Day experienced the identical subsequent reflection I had a year and a half prior, upon encountering the Tesla Cybercab: ‘Were a steering mechanism simply incorporated, this would form a magnificent compact, swift electric sports coupe.’
When queried directly regarding such a prospect, Walker chuckled. “Indeed, I possess numerous concepts during my leisure,” he remarked. “However, this [the Lunar autonomous taxi] is the subject of our current discussion.”
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