Less than two weeks after Silvio Napoli took over as Lucid’s new chief executive officer, an experienced senior executive has departed in another leadership shake-up for the EV maker.
Emad Dlala, Lucid’s senior vice president of engineering and software, has left the company just months after being promoted to that role, reports TechCrunch. Dlala was one of Lucid’s longest-serving execs, having spent over a decade with the company. He played a valuable role in helping the automaker refine and develop new software and related vehicle technologies.
Dlala’s exit comes as Lucid Motors prepares to launch its first midsize EV, which is expected to significantly broaden the brand’s reach beyond the high-priced Air sedan and Gravity SUV.
Lucid Motors/LinkedIn
Core Lucid executive exits in turbulent year for leadership
Over the past 18 months, Lucid Motors (LCID) has undergone numerous leadership changes and a shuffling of its workforce.
In early 2025, former CEO Peter Rawlinson left the company unexpectedly. Later, in November 2025, Dlala was promoted to a role overseeing Lucid’s entire Engineering and Digital division. At the same point, chief engineer Eric Bach departed and has since sued Lucid for wrongful termination.
Workforce reductions have accompanied these leadership changes, with 12% of Lucid’s employees laid off in February 2026. That has continued with Dlala’s departure.
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“Emad Dlala has elected to leave the company to pursue other opportunities,” said the automaker in a statement to TechCrunch. “We thank Emad for his many contributions over the years and wish him continued success in his future endeavors. Lucid remains focused on streamlining our organization and processes to fully leverage the strength of our team and will communicate further actions soon.”
Dlala himself declined to comment.
Two other executives will now report directly to Napoli. They’re Vivek Attaluri, vice president of vehicle engineering, and Marc Solsona Palomar, vice president of software.
Why this departure matters for Lucid’s future
It has been historically challenging for EV startups to scale successfully and launch more than one or two niche products.
Fisker Automotive and Lordstown Motors both failed to achieve sustainable growth and also experienced high leadership turnover.
With this in mind, Lucid’s ability to move beyond its existing position as a niche automaker is under the microscope. Furthermore, the company suspended its 2026 production guidance amid supplier disruptions and delivery issues, reports Autoblog. It produced 5,500 vehicles in Q1 2026 but only delivered 3,093.
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For Lucid, strong leadership continuity and smooth operational conditions will be important ahead of the arrival of its midsize Cosmos SUV. That vehicle is much closer in size to the Tesla Model Y—the current top-selling EV in the U.S.—and is expected to significantly boost Lucid’s sales.
Top talent in the engineering and software departments will be imperative, as Lucid will want to avoid the glitches that affected the Gravity, precisely the setbacks Dlala had worked to eradicate. Under Dlala’s watch, a software update in late January resolved almost 95% of issues flagged by customers and reviewers, reports EV.
Lucid has already proven it can build luxurious, desirable EVs with industry-leading ranges on a full charge. Its challenges are scaling production, improving margins, and expanding beyond the full-size luxury segment.
What’s next for Lucid
Lucid’s midsize Cosmos EV is estimated to be revealed later in 2026 or early in 2027.
This period will be marked by several overlapping priorities, as it must also focus on ramping up production of the ultra-fast-charging Gravity, addressing software concerns, and stabilizing its executive team. The company’s plans are expected to become clearer next quarter.
“With Silvio now on board and conducting his review of the business, we are suspending our prior guidance and will provide a full updated outlook at our second-quarter earnings call,” said CFO Taoufiq Boussaid, reports Reuters.
It remains uncertain whether the spate of leadership changes will help or hinder Lucid’s efforts to improve its financial position and branch out into new auto segments in the months and years ahead.
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