Lucid Motors (“Lucid”), which is setting new standards for sustainable mobility with its advanced luxury EVs, and Churchill Capital Corp IV (NYSE: CCIV) (“CCIV” or “Churchill”), a special purpose acquisition company, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. CCIV and Lucid are combining at a transaction equity value of $11.75 billion. The transaction values Lucid at an initial pro-forma equity value of approximately $24 billion at the PIPE offer price of $15.00 per share and will provide Lucid with approximately $4.4 billion in cash (assuming no existing CCIV shares are redeemed for cash at closing).
Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of Lucid, said, “Lucid is proud to be leading a new era of high-technology, high efficiency zero-emission transportation. Through a ground-up rethinking of how EVs are designed, our in-house-developed, race-proven technology and meticulous engineering have enabled industry-leading powertrain efficiency and new levels of performance. Lucid is going public to accelerate into the next phase of our growth as we work towards the launch of our new pure-electric luxury sedan, Lucid Air, in 2021 followed by our Gravity performance luxury SUV in 2023. Financing from the transaction will also be used to support expansion of our manufacturing facility in Arizona, which is the first greenfield purpose-built EV manufacturing facility in North America, and is already operational for pre-production builds of the Lucid Air. Scheduled to expand over three phases in the coming years, our Arizona facility is designed to be capable of producing approximately 365,000 units per year at scale. Lastly, this transaction further enables the realization of our vision to supply Lucid’s advanced EV technologies to third parties such as other automotive manufacturers as well as offer energy storage solutions in the residential, commercial and utility segments.”
Michael Klein, Chairman and CEO of CCIV, said, “CCIV believes that Lucid’s superior and proven technology backed by clear demand for a sustainable EV make Lucid a highly attractive investment for Churchill Capital Corp IV shareholders, many of whom have an increased focus on sustainability. We are pleased to partner with Peter and the rest of Lucid’s leadership team as it delivers the highly anticipated Lucid Air to market later this year, promising significant disruption to the EV market and creating thousands of jobs across the U.S.”
Lucid is setting new standards in performance, range and efficiency, appealing both to customers and investors committed to a zero-emission future. The company’s differentiated, proprietary EV technology, including its battery technology which is currently powering every vehicle in the world’s leading EV racing series, is underpinned by a rich portfolio of patents. Lucid’s EV technology suite was developed in-house, allowing Lucid Air to deliver outstanding efficiency with a projected range of over 500 miles on a single charge – ahead of all competitors on the market today.
Lucid’s growth will continue to benefit the communities in which it operates, particularly in California where the company is headquartered and in Arizona where the company has built its vehicle manufacturing facility from the ground up as well as its in-house EV powertrain manufacturing facility. Additionally, with directly-owned retail locations already open in California and Florida, Lucid will continue to expand its retail and service footprint across the U.S. throughout 2021. Lucid currently employs nearly 2,000 people in the U.S., and intends to continue growing quickly to support the company’s ramp in operations, with 3,000 employees expected to be added domestically by the end of 2022.
Peter Rawlinson will continue to lead Lucid along with the rest of the company’s seasoned leadership team. Churchill’s leadership team and group of operating partners will actively facilitate key introductions and relationships and provide product, design, and industry insights.
Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley in Newark, California, Lucid has benefitted enormously from California’s forward-thinking, innovation-centered business environment. Lucid’s management looks forward to continuing to operate from its California headquarters as a public company. This transaction will also support further expansion of Lucid’s direct-to-consumer retail model and Studio and Service Center locations. Currently, Lucid has 6 Studios open across the U.S. and additional sites under construction, a footprint that is scheduled to grow significantly throughout 2021. Sales expansion is planned for international markets including Europe and Middle East during 2022, and Asia Pacific thereafter.
Lucid’s completed, purpose-built manufacturing facilities are production-ready and positioned for expansion. In Casa Grande, Arizona, Lucid is already manufacturing Lucid Air pre-production vehicles in a state-of-the-art facility called AMP-1 that represents the first greenfield EV manufacturing facility in North America. Just a few miles away from AMP-1 is Lucid’s powertrain manufacturing plant, LPM-1, where Lucid produces battery packs, integrated drive units and Wunderbox two-way chargers, which present significant opportunities in energy-capture technology. In addition to its in-house technological and manufacturing capabilities, Lucid has established strong relationships with core suppliers for key materials like battery cells, including a development and supply agreement with LG Chem. Currently, Lucid’s AMP-1 facility can produce 34,000 vehicles annually, but with a total of three phases of expansion planned over the coming years, the site is expected to be capable of producing approximately 365,000 vehicles per year at scale.
As a part of its vision, Lucid intends to leverage its technology portfolio and expertise in electrification to enable a broader societal transformation towards clean energy. Lucid sees compelling potential for use of its electric powertrain technology in other OEM vehicles as well as in the aerospace, heavy machinery and agricultural industries, and also recognizes adjacent opportunities for energy storage applications in the residential, commercial and utility sectors.
Lucid’s first car, the Lucid Air, is a state-of-the-art luxury sedan with a California-inspired design underpinned by race-proven technology. Featuring luxurious full-size interior in a mid-size exterior footprint, the Air will be capable of an EPA estimated range of over 500 miles and 0-60 mph in under 2.5 seconds. Customer deliveries of the Lucid Air, which will be produced at Lucid’s new factory in Casa Grande, Arizona, will accelerate in the second half of 2021 as the factory increases production. Consumers engage with Lucid through an advanced digital platform that is unique in the industry, enabling seamless digital experiences across multiple touchpoints.
