In early June, Lucid Motors held its first Certified Body Repair Network conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Certified facility owners from across the country had an opportunity to meet Lucid team members, network with shops and tour the Advanced Manufacturing Plant-1 (Amp-1) in Case Grande, AZ, located between Phoenix and Tucson.
“As the industry’s leading electric vehicle (EV) in regard to range and charging, we have to be a leader in the collision space and have a presence,” said Jake Rodenroth, Lucid’s senior manager of the North American Body Repair Program. “The future of Lucid is very bright. The scale of the operation and the wonderful people committed to its cause is truly impressive.”
For two years, monthly calls have been held with the network to exchange information. Following an in-person meeting during the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV, Lucid decided to plan a formal meeting in June 2024 with certified shops.
Rodenroth said it was a great opportunity to talk to shop owners one-on-one.
Jake Rodenroth and Andy MacDonald spoke during the conference.
“It's good to feel their handshake and see their smile, especially some of the new shops that I haven't had a lot of interaction with and have only talked to on the phone,” he said. “You have a deeper connection when you get to know people personally.”
During the event, attendees met the people involved at Lucid on a day-to-day basis and heard from the various departments, including body, technical training, parts and paint.
“There are so many people who make our program successful and we wanted to highlight them,” said Rodenroth. “The shops recognize many of their names but hadn’t met the people and were able to interact with them.”
Mike Anderson, owner of Collision Advice, also shared tips on providing excellent customer service.
“Collision repairers have to be doing more than just good work,” stressed Rodenroth. “That's the expectation. We're trying to coach to customer service.”
Rodenroth and Andy MacDonald, director of technical operations at Lucid, shared their appreciation for Anderson presenting and inspiring the people in the room.
Following the presentations, attendees toured the 3.85-million-square-foot AMP-1, one of two manufacturing facilities in Casa Grande.
“The tour was really a treat because they've only recently opened the factory to the general public,” said Rodenroth.
After evaluating more than 60 sites in 13 states for the Lucid Motors Factory, a 500-acre site in Casa Grande was chosen.
“Casa Grande offered close proximity to critical utilities, an established transportation systems and strong support from state and local government,” said MacDonald. “The facility is the first purpose-built EV factory in North America.”
Company Background
Based in Newark, CA, MacDonald said Lucid’s mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating advanced technologies and the most captivating luxury EVs centered around the human experience.
“Our commitment to efficiency has created one of the fastest-charging, longest range and most efficient EVs,” noted MacDonald. “By using fewer batteries and less grid electricity, we’ve reduced the demand for critical materials and their environmental impact.”
Lucid Air.
Introduced in 2021, the Lucid Air sedan is among the fastest-charging EVs on the market. The model has four trim levels: The Pure with 430 hp and 410-mile range, the Touring with 620 hp and 411-mile range, the Grand Touring with 819 hp and 516-mile range, and the Sapphire with 1,234 hp and 427-mile range. Depending on trim level, the vehicle charges up to 200 miles in about 12-17 minutes.
The Air has received numerous awards and accolades, including the following this year: the Top Gear Electric Award for 2024 Best Luxury EV, U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best Luxury Electric Car, and Car and Driver’s 2024 10 Best List.
The company has also announced it will be selling the Gravity SUV with a projected range of up to 440 miles, depending on trim level.
Lucid vehicles can be purchased over the internet and at Lucid Studios in states where the auto manufacturer is licensed to conduct sales. The company provides services to customers through Lucid Service Centers and mobile service operations.
Lucid Certified Body Repair Network
Entry into the Lucid Body Repair Program is by invitation from Lucid and subject to being committed to certain requirements. These include a rigorous business evaluation, sending technicians to extensive hands-on body repair and mechanical training program courses, meeting all body and mechanical repair tooling and equipment requirements and performing to Lucid Body Repair Program operating standards requirements.
“Lucid carefully vets any candidate body repair centers to ensure that they are the best fit for meeting our customers’ needs and can meet our program’s specific requirements in the regional market that they operate in,” said MacDonald. “Collision repair experience in structural aluminum and EV repair is preferential and a proven track record in delivering best-in-class customer service is mandatory.”
“We aspire to be the best certified network a shop can be on,” said Rodenroth. “It’s not easy to get on the program or stay on it.”
He said shops must have the required equipment, restricted parts and hands-on training to repair vehicles properly.
Rodenroth encourages collision repairer facilities to access Lucid’s online landing page, fill out the form and learn more about the program.
“We’ve had some good shops that have reached out to us, but they're located in a populated market where we already have certified shops and that wouldn’t be fair to them,” he noted.
The goal is to keep certified shops busy.
“We want to have that same respect for every shop we onboard,” said Rodenroth.
He said certification is like a badge of honor.
“It's not a membership. It's a certification,” Rodenroth emphasized. “Companies like ours aspire to change how people drive and own cars. Our network aspires to change how the industry repairs cars and interact with owners.”
To learn more, visit the website.
Stacey Phillips Ronak