Armored Lucid Air Sapphire goes bulletproof for $475K

The tri-motor Lucid Air Sapphire provides a quick means of escape from trouble, but should no escape route be available, there’s now an armored version as well.

California-based U.S. Armor Group has made the electric luxury sedan bullet-resistant. The company will outfit an Air Sapphire with composite armor that it claims is 10 times stronger than ballistic steel, but five times lighter. Bullet-resistant material also replaces the factory glass, and is strong enough to stop a round from a .44 Magnum, the company claims. The armor package adds 385 pounds to the Sapphire’s curb weight.

U.S. Armor Group can also add countermeasures like electric-shock door handles, pepper spray dispensers, concealed gun ports, and mechanisms for detecting and protecting from poison gas. Further armor upgrades are also available to stop round from high-powered rifles, as well as grenades and other explosive devices.

Cars can also be fitted with a secure communications system that also continuously monitors nearby fire department and police scanners for potential threats, and includes a one-touch call feature that directly connects to the U.S. Armor Group if any issues with the communication system arise.

Armored Lucid Air Sapphire by U.S. Armor Group

With the 1,234 hp and 1,430 lb-ft of torque, the Sapphire is the most powerful sedan in the world—electric or otherwise. Lucid quotes predictably impressive performance numbers, including 0-60 mph in 1.89 seconds and a 205-mph top speed. While it’s not as efficient as other Air models, the Sapphire also manages 427 miles of EPA range, surpassing the longest-range version of the Tesla Model S.

The armored version costs $475,000, which is a big step up from even the $249,000 price of a non-armored Lucid Air Sapphire from the factory. But the target customer likely has a deep well of stock dividends or a national gross domestic product to fund their purchases.