A Samsung SDI battery-equipped electric vehicle has set a world record for longest distance traveled and has been registered in the Guinness Book.
Samsung SDI noted on the 7th that its customer, the American electric vehicle company Lucid Motors, recently set a world record in a single-charge driving test with its 'Lucid Air Grand Touring' model.
In a driving test conducted last month on highways, mountain roads, and back roads between St. Moritz, Switzerland, and Munich, Germany, the Lucid Air Grand Touring reportedly traveled 1,205 km without additional charging. This is an increase of 160 km from the previous record of 1,045 km.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring is a long-distance driving specialized model launched last year with a Samsung SDI battery. Its official driving distance in the U.S. is 521 miles (about 824 km), and in addition to the long driving distance, it boasts a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 3 seconds, a maximum output of 831 horsepower, a top speed of 270 km/h, and fast charging capable of 400 km in 16 minutes. It is currently on sale starting at $114,900 (about 160 million won).
The vehicle is equipped with 6,600 cylindrical batteries of the 21700 specification from Samsung SDI. This battery, based on a high nickel NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) cathode and a silicon material anode, features exceptional performance with high capacity, long lifespan, and fast charging.
An industry official said, "Considering that the driving range of major electric vehicles in Korea and abroad is between 400 and 600 km with a single charge, this is an extraordinary level," and noted, "Internal combustion engine vehicles can also go about 700 to 800 km on a single refueling." He added, "The vehicle contains a relatively high number of batteries for its capacity, and various testing conditions, such as road conditions, temperature, and driving habits, likely affected the driving range."
Lucid Motors was established in the U.S. in 2007, starting with the manufacture of electric vehicle battery packs and developing high-performance electric vehicles. It has been developing high-performance models such as the 'Lucid Air Dream Edition' after forming a strategic partnership with Samsung SDI in 2016.