Engineering Explained’s latest video paints a picture of Lucid’s dream car turning into a nightmare, and while many of his complaints are valid, some deserve context. Here’s the full story.
When Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained uploaded his video titled “Owning A Lucid Has Been Super Disappointing”, it immediately struck a nerve in the EV community. Fenske is known for his meticulous breakdowns of automotive engineering. He had purchased a 2025 Lucid Air Touring, a car marketed as one of the most advanced luxury EVs on the planet.
Six months and 3,400 miles later, he says it’s the most frustrating car he’s ever owned. His video catalogues a litany of hardware failures, software glitches, and baffling design choices. But how much of this is a one-off experience, and how much reflects broader issues with Lucid’s flagship sedan?
Hardware Hiccups
Fenske describes a front trunk (frunk) that routinely failed to open on the first try, coolant pumps that had to be replaced, and a broken fan button. These aren’t isolated anecdotes. Owners on Lucid forums have reported frunk alignment problems and service delays, with some waiting months for replacement parts. That corroborates his claim: while Lucid’s engineering is praised, quality control at delivery remains inconsistent.
Software Gremlins
The bigger story is software. As one Redditor commented: “Love the drive but hate the software. Glad it’s a lease.” Fenske recounts endless update failures, audio systems that randomly cut out, and Apple CarPlay that hijacks the wrong phone. Here, he’s not alone. CarPlay reliability has been a recurring complaint among Lucid owners, with some blaming Apple’s iOS updates and others pointing to Lucid’s cabin control module.
In short, CarPlay problems are real, but not unique to Lucid. Tesla and Mercedes drivers have reported similar frustrations. Still, for a $100,000+ car, “flaky” isn’t acceptable.
He also highlights bizarre bugs: heated seats activating on their own, the car refusing to lock, and navigation freezing mid-drive. Consumer reviews echo these frustrations, with Edmunds noting that while the Air Touring delivers stunning performance, “software polish is still a work in progress”. MotorTrend’s yearlong test of a Lucid Air Grand Touring similarly concluded it was both the “best and worst car” they’d ever had.
Charging Woes
Fenske’s video shows Plug&Charge failing at Electrify America stations. Officially, Lucid Air models are Plug&Charge compatible, and Electrify America confirms the system should work seamlessly.
Yet owners report inconsistent activation, sometimes requiring app intervention. His complaint is valid: Plug&Charge is advertised as effortless, but in practice, it’s not always reliable.
Design Choices That Baffle
Perhaps the most damning section of the video is about intentional design decisions. Switching driver profiles cancels navigation, reverse mirror tilt is exaggerated to the point of uselessness, and the car won’t let you change profiles while driving. Lucid’s own learning series confirms these limitations, suggesting they are deliberate safety/legal choices rather than bugs.
Fenske argues they create more danger by forcing drivers to fiddle with touchscreens instead of simply pressing a button. On this point, he’s persuasive: Tesla allows profile switching mid-drive, and Lucid’s refusal feels like over-lawyering.
The Bigger Picture
It’s important to balance the negatives with what Lucid gets right. Several reviews like the one from Motor Illustrated praise the Touring’s 620 horsepower, 406 miles (653 km) range, and luxurious cabin. Reliability concerns aside, the Air remains one of the most efficient EVs ever built. Lucid is also rolling out major software updates, including hands-free driving features, which may address some of the frustrations.
Verdict
It’s best to view Fenske’s video as more of a cautionary tale than a hit piece. His Lucid Air Touring delivers breathtaking performance but is undermined by glitches. Owner forums and professional reviews corroborate many of his complaints, especially around frunk issues, CarPlay, and Plug&Charge. At the same time, some quirks, like driver profile restrictions, are deliberate design choices, not malfunctions.
The takeaway? Lucid has nailed the engineering but still struggles with execution. For buyers, the Touring is both a marvel and a gamble: you’ll get world-class range and speed, but you may also get a car that forgets how to play music or lock its doors. For a company trying to dethrone Tesla, that’s a problem.