Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks'

Tesla, and its CEO Elon Musk, are the big names in electric vehicles, but a lot of competitors are nipping at their heels, including one led by a former top Tesla engineer. Peter Rawlinson is the CEO of Lucid, a billion-dollar auto startup he says has better technology than its rivals. The company recently completed a $1.75 billion stock offering, and has backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Now, as major automakers such as Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford pull back on their EV ambitions, find out why Rawlinson says Lucid’s all-in on luxury vehicles with a high price tag and, eventually, smaller batteries. Plus, why he says he won’t be building a $20,000 EV any time soon. He speaks to WSJ’s Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims in episode one of our interview series Bold Names. Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at [e-mail] Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter.  Further Reading The Withering Dream of a Cheap American Electric Car Elon Musk Plays a Familiar Song: Robot Cars Are Coming  Ultralong-Range Electric Cars Are Arriving. Say Goodbye to Charging Stops.  Used EVs Sell for Bargain Prices Now, Putting Owners and Dealers in a Bind  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices