Lucid Air Pure (electric) vs Tesla Model S Long Range (electric): 5-year cost to own in the U.S.
As of August 6, 2026, over 5 years (U.S. average, 12,000 mi/yr), the Lucid Air Pure (electric) is cheaper from day one — about $80,689 over 5 years vs $93,255 for the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric), a $12,566 difference. The expired federal $7,500 EV credit is not applied to either total.
Cheaper to own over 5 yearsLucid Air Pure (electric) · $80,689 total · $12,566 less than the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric)
Lucid Air Pure (electric) vs Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · Lucid Air Pure | Electric · Tesla Model S Long |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $43,827 (54%) | $52,779 (57%) |
| Charging / fuel | $3,759 (5%) | $4,576 (5%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$451) | 12% (~$549) |
| Maintenance | $5,520 (7%) | $3,480 (4%) |
| Insurance | $14,000 (17%) | $16,000 (17%) |
| Financing interest | $12,582 (16%) | $15,420 (17%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,000 (1%) | $1,000 (1%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $80,689 | $93,255 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — we include it; most calculators don't.
When does the Lucid Air Pure (electric) win?
At 12,000 mi/yr the Lucid Air Pure (electric) is already the cheaper car — drive more or keep it longer and its lead only grows.
Over 5 years the Lucid Air Pure (electric) undercuts the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) by $12,566 — about 13% of the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric)'s total. That margin is a verdict, not a rounding artifact.
What decides the Lucid Air Pure (electric) vs Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) verdict
The single biggest mover is depreciation: $43,827 on the Lucid Air Pure (electric) against $52,779 on the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric), an $8,952 gap in the Lucid Air Pure (electric)'s favor — the largest slice of the $12,566 verdict. On the Lucid Air Pure (electric), depreciation alone is 54% of its $80,689 total; on the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) it is 57% of $93,255.
- Financing interest: Lucid Air Pure (electric) $12,582, Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) $15,420 — $2,838 more in the Lucid Air Pure (electric)'s favor.
- Maintenance: Lucid Air Pure (electric) $5,520, Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) $3,480 — $2,040 the other way, to the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric).
- Insurance: Lucid Air Pure (electric) $14,000, Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) $16,000 — $2,000 more in the Lucid Air Pure (electric)'s favor.
The Tesla Model S Long Range (electric)'s best answer is maintenance — $2,040 back the other way — which covers 16% of the Lucid Air Pure (electric)'s $12,566 lead. At the dealer the Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) starts $15,090 behind the Lucid Air Pure (electric); running costs claw back $2,524 of that, but the Lucid Air Pure (electric) still ends $12,566 ahead. The Lucid Air Pure (electric) is ahead from the first year — $4,742 after year 1 — and finishes year 5 with the full $12,566 lead; the cumulative lines never cross.
Lucid Air Pure (electric) vs Tesla Model S Long Range (electric), side by side
Lucid Air Pure (electric)
- 5-yr total cost
- $80,689
- Cost / month
- $1,345
- Cost / mile
- $1.35
- MSRP
- $69,900
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 23 kWh/100mi
Tesla Model S Long Range (electric)
- 5-yr total cost
- $93,255
- Cost / month
- $1,554
- Cost / mile
- $1.55
- MSRP
- $84,990
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 28 kWh/100mi
- Electricity (US avg)
- 18.4¢/kWh EIA
- Gas price (US avg)
- $3.85/gal AAA
Full cost breakdowns
Lucid Air Pure (electric) vs Tesla Model S Long Range (electric) by state
No state's electricity or gas prices flip this verdict at default assumptions — the Lucid Air Pure (electric) is the cheaper car in all 51 states we track.