>> COMING UP IN THE NEXT HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS ON ARIZONA HORIZON: WHAT THE STATE'S NEW REDISTRICTING MAPS MEAN FOR LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES.

ON CRONKITE NEWS: AN UPDATE ON THE LATEST COVID-SURGE AND ON BREAK IT DOWN: THE IMPACT OF THE DIVERSITY CONVERSATION ON PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THAT'S ALL AHEAD IN THE NEXT HOUR ON ARIZONA PBS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.THE OMICRON VARIANT OF THE CORONA-VIRUS IS NOW DOMINANT IN ARIZONA.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE ASU BIO-DESIGN INSTITUTE, WHICH TOLD THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC TODAY THAT MORE THAN 90-PERCENT OF COVID CASES SEQUENCED BY THE INSTITUTE ARE TESTING POSITIVE FOR OMICRON.

COMES AS HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN ARIZONA ARE ON THE INCREASE.

MORE THAN 2500 PEOPLE ARE NOW HOSPITALIZED WITH KNOWN OR SUSPECTED CASE OF COVID-19, WITH JUST 108ICU BEDS NOW AVAILABLE STATEWIDE.

ALSO, THE SEVEN DAY AVERAGE FOR ER VISITINGS HAS HATE NEW HIGH.

MORE THAN 7700 NEW CASE REPORTED AND 61 COVID RELATED FATALITIES.

ARIZONA COVID DEATH RATE NOW FIFTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY.

MARICOPA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TODAY A POINT BY POINT TO THE SELF-STYLED AUDIT OF COUNTY VOTES BY REPUBLICANS STATE SENATE AND AUDIT WAS CONDUCTED BY A PRO TRUMP COMPANY OUT OF FLORIDA WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN ELECTIONS.

THE REPORT FOUND NO PROOF OF SUPPORT TO CLAIMS LIKE TRUMP SUPPORTER THAT'S THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.

TODAY'S PRESENTATION BY COUNTY ELECTIONS OHS AS FOUND THAT DOZEN OF CLAIMS MADE BY CYBER NINJAS WERE MISLEADING OR DEMONSTRATIVELY FALSE AND CYBER NINJAS FEWER THAN 100 POTENTIALLY FRAUDULENT OR DOUBLE COUNTED BALLOTS WITH 37 CASES OF POTENTIAL FRAUD REPORTED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

AND FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY IS REPORTEDLY SET TO MEET TONIGHT WITH THE SELECT COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING THE JANUARY6th RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITAL.

RESIGNED THE NIGHT OF JANUARY6th FOLLOWING THE RIGHT AND WORKED AT THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER SERVING IN ARIZONAS A SPOKESPERSON FOR HOUSE REPUBLICAN NOR THE STATE AND THE BOARD AND SPOKESWOMAN FOR FORMER STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM HORN.

>> THE ARIZONA CONGRESSIONAL MAPS WERE APPROVED LAST WEEK.

WE ASKED CAPITA MEDIA OF SERVICES ABOUT WHAT THE ANNUALLY DESIGNED DISTRICTS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA POLITICS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

BEFORE WE GET THAT MESS.

THE PREVIOUS WEEK, MONTHS.

THE MAPS ARE DONE.

HOW CONTENTIOUS WAS THIS PROCESS?

>> WELL, I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS NOT CONTENTIOUS AT ALL.

THERE WERE A LOT OF 5-0 VOTES WHICH IS REAL INTERESTING.

FOLKS STARTED TO REALIZE, AS WE DRAW THESE DISTRICTS WE ARE GOING TO CEMENT IN REPUBLICAN MAJORITY AND BOTH IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION FOR THE NEXT DECADE AND THAT CAUSED CONSTELLATION IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES ACTUALLY BECAUSE I THINK THE DEMOCRATS BELIEVED THAT CERTAIN MADE AND PARTICULARLY THE BENEFITS OF REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

>> YEAH.

I WANT TO GET THE MAPS IN A SECOND.

LET'S START.

THIS WAS UNANIMOUS.

THEY APPROVED THIS.

WAS THAT A SURPRISE?

>> IT WAS REALLY WAS.

IN SOME WAYS, ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO.

EVERYBODY WAS HOPING FOR CONGRESSIONAL SEAT WHICH ALLOWED FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

PLUS YOU HAVE THE FACT YOU HAVE DISTRICT.

THE DISTRICT MAJORITY MINORITY AND HOW THIS DISTRICT AND THE DISTRICT AND THAT FORCES MISSIONS TO A LOT OF DEMOCRATS AND LATINOS INTO THE DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE WITH THE LAW AND SELECT SOMEONE.

SO THAT IS DIVIDING UP THE REST OF THE STATE AND BEING IN MARICOPA AND TO UNUSUAL DISTRICTS IN THE RURAL AREAS AND THE QUESTION BECAME BELONGS WITH WHOM?

BELONGS WITH THE COMMUNITY.

BUT I THINK EVERYONE REALIZED THAT IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER AND THERE IS LAST MINUTE DISPLAYS.

AND HAD TO DRAW THE LINE AND DEMOCRATS GET STUFF INTO THE WEST SIDE DISTRICT AND THERE WERE GAMES PLAYED THERE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO GO TO THAT LOOK.

>> SO HOW MANY COMPETITIVE DISTRICTS ARE WE GOING TO HAVE IN TERMS OF CONGRESSIONAL RACES?

>> COMPETITIVE.

I MEAN, THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS CONSIDERED PROBABLY SAFE.

YOU HAVE DISTRICT WHICH, AGAIN, HAS GONE BACK AND FORTH OVER THE YEARS, ALTHOUGH, PROBABLY GOING TO LEAN MORE REPUBLICAN AND SEEMS TO THINK HE CAN HOLD OUT AND REPRESENTED SOME OF THOSE AREAS BEFORE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WHAT THAT LEAVES IS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6.

IT LEANS MODERATELY REPUBLICAN.

BUT THIS IS LASS DISTRICT THAT GABBY GIFFORDS REPRESENTED.

IT IS HARD TO SAY.

I THINK DISTRICTS AND DEMOCRATS THEY SEE THIS AS SIX WEEKS AND THREE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT SOME OF THE POLITICAL FOLKS I SPOKE WITH AND WHAT IS PORCH IS GOING FROM FIVE DEMOCRATIC DISTRICTS AND SORT OF MAKE A CHANGE IN ARIZONA.

>> YEAH.

OK.

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS THAT WAS NOT UNANIMOUS DECISION BUT ANOTHER ONE OF THE 3-2 VOTES WITH THE CHAIR AND THE PENT CHAIR CITING WITH THE REPUBLICANS.

WHAT DOES THIS WHOLE LEGISLATIVE MAKE UP.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE LEGISLATURE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT MEAN THAT'S THE REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE BIN CHARGE OF THE HOUSE SINCE 1964 AND SENATE OFF AND ON FOR THE SAME TIME WILL CONTINUE THEIR CAREER.

OBVIOUSLY IT DEPENDS ON CANDIDATES.

YOU GETS BACK LASH AGAINST REPUBLICANS IN SOME YEARS AND YOU KNOW, THAT CERTAINLY HELPED THE SENATE AND DEMOCRATIC EDGE.

BUT BY VIRTUE OF NOT JUST THE VOTER REGISTRATION.

THE VIRTUE OF HOW THE PEOPLE HAVE VOTED AND PRIOR ELECTIONS NOT COUNTING WHICH IS SORT OF ODD BALL ONE.

DISTRICT LEANS REPUBLICAN.

TO THE EXTENT AND BOTH PARTY LINES ON LIGATIVE RACES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WHO THE LEGISLATURE IS.

THAT SUGGESTS A 17-13 AND PERHAPS A 34-26 HOUSE, AND AT LEAST MAYBE THIS ELECTION AND MAYBE A FEW YEARS.

>> THAT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE SOME OTHERS ARE SAYING THE DEMOCRATS ARE THINKING, HEY, WE HAVE GOT A REAL SHOT THERE LEANING IS ONE THING.

NONCOMPETITIVE IS ANOTHER.

THEY SEE LEANING AS POSSIBILITIES YOU ARE SAYING THAT IS A LONG STRETCH, UH?

>> WELL, POSSIBLY.

AGAIN, IT DID HAPPEN ON THE CANDIDATES IF THE DEMOCRATS CAN FEEL WHO CAN CATCH YOUR LOCAL ATTENTION, THAT CAN MAKE DIFFERENCE.

CRAFTED IN WAYS TO HELP.

A PERFECT EXAMPLE TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY AND SOUTHERN COUNTY AND CRAFTED THE DISTRICT FOR HIM AND STRETCHES ALL THE WAY PLUS AROUND THE NORTH EDGE TO GET RID OF DEMOCRAT AND GOES ALL THE WAY.

SO IT MAY BE CONSIDERED A REPUBLICAN-LEANING DISTRICT AND DEMOCRATS HAVE A CHANCE THERE.

ITS HARD WHEN THERE IS INCUMBENT.

I THINK, AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO FINDING SOME INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES AND SORT OF EARLY NOW.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ANNOUNCED AND NOBODY, I THINK, SO YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY THE REPUBLICANS SIDE.

>> LAST QUESTION.

ANY COURT CHALLENGES IN THE FUTURE FOR THE MAPS?

WELL, I AM WILLING TO BET ON IT.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE YEAR END SHOW.

DIDN'T QUESTION IT.

TENDS TO LITIGATE AND THAT HE IS LOOKING FOR LEGISLATION, EXCUSE ME, LITIGATION.

THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR THE LEDGE DISTRICTS BECAUSE OF THE FACT YOU HAD THOSE CHANGES MADE FOR ROGERS UP IN FLAGSTAFF AND IN BUCKEYE AND DOWN IN TUCSON, THEN A LOT OF FOLKS SAYING, THESE WERE NOT DONE ACCORDING TO THE RULES THE CONSTITUTION SET OUT ABOUT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COME THINS OF INTERESTS AND ALSO, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, CREATE THE DISTRICT.

>> YEAH.

HOWIE FISCHER.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WELCOME.

UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON THE MAYORS OF YUMA AND MASS MESA TALK WHAT IT WELL MEAN FOR ARIZONA CITIES.

TED: WE CONTINUE OUR LOOK AT WHAT ADVOCATES FOR VARIOUS ISSUES WANT AND EXPECT FROM STATE LAWMAKERS THIS UPCOMING SESSION.

WE'VE HEARD FROM BUSINESS AND EDUCATION LEADERS.

TONIGHT, THE FOCUS IS ARIZONA CITIES.

OUR GUESTS: MESA MAYOR JOHN GILES AND THE MAYOR OF YUMA, DOUGLAS NICHOLLS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

MAYOR GILES.

WE'LL START WITH YOU.

BEFORE WE GET TO WANTS, NEEDS SHALL EXPECTATION THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE.

WHERE ARE WE?

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SEE IT?

>> WELL, IT CAN BE BETTER BUT I HAVE TO SAY AFTER LAST SESSION IT IS NOT AS BAD AS IT HAS BEEN.

LAST SESSION WITH THE CITIES AND TOWNS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE FLAT TAX LEGISLATION.

WHAT IS GOING ON.

BUT THE LEGISLATURE DID HOLD THE CITY'S HARMLESS AND WE HAVE VICTORY.

THE CITIES ARE PLAYING DEFENSE FRANKLY.

EVERY SESSION BECAUSE LOCAL CONTROL IS A PRIORITY FOR US AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE LEGISLATURE SO WE PLAYED DEFENSE EVERY YEAR AND I AM SURE THAT WILL BE THE CASE IN THE UPCOMING SESSION BUT RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAY, THE LAST SESSION, THEY HELD US HARMLESS FINALLY ON THE BIG LEGISLATURE WORK ON SO OPTIMISTIC THAT WILL BE THE SPIR LATE CONTINUES.

MAYOR NICHOLLS ON THE FLAT TAX BE A THE CONSIDERATION WAS MADE BUT NOW TALK ABOUT REPEALING THAT TAX AND REPLACING IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

YOU CONCERNED YOU WILL HAVE TO GO AGAIN?

WE HAVE CONCERNED EXCEPT I THINK WE HAVE MADE SUCH GREAT HEADWAY IN THE UNDERSTANDING IN THE SUPPORT FOR THAT PERSPECTIVE SO, I GUESS WELL I WILL BE OPT MISS TING THINKING WE ARE NOT GOING TO START THAT CONVERSATION AT GROUND ZERO BUT YOU KNOW, FAIRLY WELL INTO THE PROCESS AND WE'LL BE, AGAIN, SEE THAT WHATEVER COMES FORWARD WE'LL REFLECT THE SAME KIND OF DEAL OR THE SAME KIND OF PROVISION WE WERE IN LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE BILL AND EXPECT THAT TO BE KIND OF THE STARTING POINT.

THEN MAYOR NICHOLLS.

IN GENERAL, THAT IS A CONCERN, I WOULD IMAGINE WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE LEGISLATURE DO TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT SHALL SHUL THE TIME?

>> WELL, IT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I AM TOO SIP SIMPLIFIED BUT THINGS LIKE THERE ARE GETTING READY TO BE DROPPED THAT THERE IS AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CANNOT REACH OUT TO ALL 92 CITIES AND TOWNS AND THE COUNTIES BUT YOU KNOW, AT LEAST SOME, SOME LEVEL HAVE SOME OUTREACH THEN VARIETY OF OUTREACH AND MAYOR GILES HAS THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY OF BEING IN THE VALLEY SO THE TRIP TO THE CAPITAL IS NOT NEARLY AS LONG AS MY TRIP TO THE CAPITAL, BUT WE ARE ALL IMPACTED THE SAME BY WHAT THE STATE DOES.

HAVING THAT DIALOGUE EARLY ON HELPS US NOT BE IN THE DEFENSIVE MODE AND HELPS US THE COLLABORATIVE MODE AND SUPPORT THINGS AS THEY COME OUT AND NOT HAVING TO TRY FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE INFLUENCE IT AFTER IT IS ALREADY OUT.

>> HOW BEST TO PRESERVE THOSE MONEYS MAYOR GILES?

WELL, THINK, THE RELATIONSHIPS IS PARTED OF IS.

AND WE NEED THE LEGISLATURE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE, THE LEDGE MATE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

MOST, MOST OF THE SERVICES THAT THE FOLKS IN ARIZONA RECEIVE, THEY RECEIVE FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND SO WHAT WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TOLL PLAY IN PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS LOOK FOR.

USUALLY WHEN WE TELL THAT STORY.

WE EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY, A LOT OF THE OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND IT IS MOST LEGISLATURE COME AROUND AND REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.

>> MAYOR.

NICHOLLS.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN AND SHOULD FAMILIARIZE OR ADDRESSES?

>> YOU OH, IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT MAYOR GILES SAID EARLY ABOUT EVERYTHING?

LOCAL ECONOMY.

YOU KNOW, GIVE PERSPECTIVE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

THEY ARE NOT THRILLED WHEN THE FEDERAL LEVEL COMES DOWN AND TELLS THEM WHAT TO DO.

SO LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE, I GUESS, THIS WAY, LOOKING AT THE STATE, THAT IS, THERE IS A LOT OF UNIQUE PLACES.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE STATE OF ARIZONA, IT IS DIVERSITY IN COMMUNITIES AND TERRAIN AND EVERYTHING.

WELL, THAT REFLECTS TO THE LAWS IN THE DIFFERENT COME-S THERE, TOO.

SO HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO UNDERSTANDED, MAYBE THEY ARE NOT SOME THINGS NOT A STATEWIDE CONCERN AND SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE STATEWIDE CONCERN UNDERSTANDING THE FLEXIBILITY TO REFLECT THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND THE DIFFERENT DESIRES IN THE STATE.

>> YEAH.

LOCAL CONTROL, MAYOR GILES IN YUMA, MESA, TWO DIFFERENT TOWNS.

BOTH IN ARIZONA.

THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS AT THEM.

DO THEY TEND TO LOOK AT THEM THE SAME?

>> YES AND NO.

I THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETIMES THOSE IN MARICOPA COUNTY FEEL LIKE THERE IS A BIAS SOMETIMES FROM RURAL LEGISLATURES THEN I AM SURE THAT DOUG FEELS SOMETIMES THE SAME WAY ABOUT THE MARICOPA COUNTY.

I WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS OUR PRIORITY THIS YEAR IS THE EXTENSION OF PROPOSITION 400.

PROPOSITION 400 AS YOU KNOW IS THE HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT IS COLLECTED REGIONALLY IN MARICOPA COUNTY BUT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURE HAS SEPARATED THE MARICOPA COUNTY REGION FROM A LOT OF THE OTHER REGIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE STRUGGLING.

A LOT OF THE SUCCESSES IN BUSINESS AND I MEAN, THAT DOUG FEELS THE BENEFITS OF PROP 400 BEING EXTEND AND BUT WE NEED TO GET STATEWIDE AND THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROVE A REGIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO TO OUR VOTERS AND PIECE TAX THAT IS COLLECTED ONLY REGIONALLY AND DOES HAVE STATEWIDE IMPACT.

SOME THERE IS, YOU KNOW, OUR DIFFICULTY AT SOMETIMES, CONVINCING RURAL LEGISLATURES OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE THINGS.

>> DOES THAT RING TRUE TO YOU MAYOR?

>> IT DOES.

FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS CONSIDERATION OF FOREGOING SALES TAX ON VEHICLES.

WELL, FOR MOST OF THE STATE, THEY ARE NOT NEXT TO, THEY ARE NOT ON THE BORDER WITH THE WORLD'S EIGHTH LARGEST ECONOMY RIGHT THERE.

PEOPLE BUY CARS CAN ALL THE TIME.

SO ACROSS THE STATE LINE FOR VARIETY OF REASONS AND SO THAT WOULD BE DRAMATIC IMPACT TO US ANOSMIAS NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL.

SO I THINK RECOGNIZING THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

LAST QUESTION.

WE'LL START WITH YOU REAL QUICKLY.

THE ONE MAJOR THING YOU WANT TO SEIZE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

QUICKLY, IF CUE.

WOW, QUICKLY.

QUICKLY.

THAT WAS NOT QUICK ANSWER.

I THINK.

HOMELESSNESS AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT.

I THINK REQUIRES A FEDERAL INPUT AND REQUIRES STATE AND LOCAL THEN I THINK, AS WE CAN FIND WAYS FORWARD AND TOGETHER I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND THEN AGAIN WITH THE FLEX OF WHAT EACH COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING.

THAT IS INTERESTING.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH YOU ON THIS PROGRAM.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS A CONCERN FOUR AS WELL.

IT IS.

LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY, THERE IS, THERE IS PROGRAMS IN PLACE WE NEED THE STATE TO BE A PLAYER, TOO.

TED.

DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE SAME QUESTION FOR ME.

YES IT IS.

I WILL GO BACK TO PROP 400 THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A MUST PASS SITUATION FOR US AND THE PROP 400 EXPIRES AND THE END OF 2025 WE HAVE TO KEEP THIS HALF CENT SALES TAX IN FLIES FUND THE STRUCTURE THAT WE CONTINUE INVESTIGATING IN OURSELVES OR ALL OF THIS AMAZING SUCCESS WE ARE SEEING ECONOMICALLY IS GOING TO DRY UP.

>> MAYOR JOHN GILES, MAYOR OF YUMA, DOUGLAS NICHOLLS.

THANK YOU.

>> TONIGHT ON THE NEWS HOUR, HOW MISINFORMATION THREATEN THE DEMOCRACY ONE YEAR AFTER THE ATTACK ON U.S. CAPITAL.

COMING UP AFTER YOUR HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS.

TED: MOTOR TREND'S 2022 CAR OF THE YEAR IS A SEDAN MADE RIGHT HERE IN ARIZONA.

IT'S THE LUCID AIR MANUFACTURED BY LUCID MOTORS IN CASE GRANDE.

MIKE BOIKE, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING AT LUCID MOTORS, TOLD US MORE ABOUT THIS AWARD-WINNING CAR.

>> GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE MOTOR TREND CARVE HE YEAR AWARD FOR THE LUCID AIR.

HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS AWARD LIKE THAT?

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON TODAY.

YES, WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO WIN CARVE THE YEAR AWARD.

IT IS NOT EASILY DONE ON THE COME TUGS AND 24 MAJOR, 24 MAYOR AUTOMOTIVE MAKERS COMPETE NATURAL AWARD THIS YEAR.

THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MOTOR TREND AND NEW AUTOMOTIVE MAKER HAS WON THE CAR OF THE YEAR.

IT IS A BIG DEAL.

WE ARE EXCITED.

IT IS A NOD TO OUR TECHNOLOGY AND THE HARD WORK THAT OUR TEAM HAS PUT IN TO GET TO THIS POINT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT LUCID MOTORS THE CALIFORNIA START UP.

QUITE A HISTORY HERE.

GIVES A BACKGROUND.

>> SURE.

LUCID.

WE STARTED OFF BACK IN 2007 AND YOU KNOW, 2013 OUR CEO JOINED FORCES WITH AND YOU KNOW WITH THE POWER TRAIN BACKGROUND AND THE KNOW-HOW OF PETER, DECIDED TO MAKE THE GROUNDBREAKING CAR.

WE CALL IT LUCID AIR THE FIRST VERSION OF THE VEHICLE.

I CALLED IN 2019 AND BROKE GROUND HERE IN ARIZONA SO WE LOOKED AT 660 SITES OVER 13 STATES TO DEFINE WHERE WE MAKE THE HOME THERE.

AND AN EXHAUSTING SEARCH BUT YOU KNOW, ALL EYES CAME BACK TO CASA GRANDE ARIZONA AS THE IDEAL FLIES CALL THE HOME FOR THE LUCID AIR.

AGAIN GETS THIS BIG AWARD.

TALK TO BUS THE CAR ITSELF.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS SEDAN.

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

WELL, OH, IT IS.

WHAT IS AMAZING ABOUT IT.

IT LOOKS LIKE MID SIZED SEDAN.

IT IS.

IT IS.

THE LENGTH OF THE MID SIZE SEDAN AND THE INTERIOR SPACE AND THE FULL SIZE.

WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE COMBUSTION ENGINE YOU GET A LOT OF ROOM SOL DESIGNERS , START OVER.

THEY HAVE A CLEAN SLATE IN HOW TO BUILD A CAR.

SO NOW THE FRONT AREA OF THE CAR.

WE CALL IT THE FRONT.

EMPTY SPACE.

LIKE A TRUNK.

MORE SPACE.

IT IS THE LARGEST TRUNK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE.

THE CANOPY GLASS AND DESIGN AND THE SLEEK DESIGN WAS DESIGNED BY OUR CHIEF DESIGNER AND HE SPENT YEARS DESIGNING AND FINE-TUNING THAT.

YOU CAN SITE.

IT IS PREMIUM LUXURY VEHICLE.

THEN YOU GET TO THE PERFORMANCE.

OVER 500 MILES OF RANGE.

IT IS MORE THAN ANYBODY IN THE WORLD IN OUR CLASS AND IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOU TO GO THE FUEL ECONOMY.

GOV.

THE TOP SIX MOLDS OF RANGE ALL LUCID VEHICLES.

GET PERFORMANCE THEN YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE RANGE THEN YOU GET THAT PREMIUM LUXURY THAT YOU CANNOT FIND IN ANY OTHER ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

THAT RANGE OVER 500-MILE RANGE HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE UP FOR THE 500MILES.

GREAT QUESTION.

GREAT QUESTION.

THE FASTEST CHARGING 300 MILES YOU WILL GET AND ABOUT 20 MINUTES YOU CAN CHARGE OVER 300 MORE MILES OF RANGE.

>> WOW.

>> THE FA FASTEST TO GET TO 300.

THE HOUSE ARE HORSEPOWER AND MORE THAN 100-HORSEPOWER HERE.

YOU WANT TO TALK FUN.

WE HAVE TO GO FAR RIDE ONE DAY.

1100 HORSE POW WINNER OUR PERFORMANCE.

YEAH.

MASSIVE.

YEAH.

IT IS LIKE, IT IS LAKE SPACE SHIP OAR JET AIRLINE TAKING OFF.

IT THROW YOU BACK IN YOUR SEAT.

TO ME THAT'S THE MOST FUN OF THE VEHICLE.

I WOULD IMAGINE.

I WOULD IMAGINE LOTS OF CAMERAS.

LOTS OF SENSORS AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS WITH THE BATTERIES INVOLVED AND COMPARE THE STANDARD SEDAN.

>> YOU KNOW, WE ARE OVER 5,000-POUND!

POUNDS SO IT IS A LOT.

SIS ALWAYS THE FINE LINE BETWEEN THE WEIGHT IT THEN THE RANGE OF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND COMPROMISING THOSE TWO AREAS AND IT IS HEAVY.

YOU WOULDN'T GUESS THAT IS WHAT IS SUBTLE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO GET THAT RANGE.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

THAT IS ALWAYS THE CONCERN THERE.

AND AS FAR AS THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

MAIN, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO TELL YOU.

IF I WERE DRIVING THESE THINGS I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT BEING PREOCCUPIED.

YOU GOT WATCH THAT STUFF?

YEAH.

WOW, A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD IN IT.

THE DREAM DRIVE IS AWESOME.

THE MOST, OVER 32 ON THE CAR AND GETTING READY FOR TO MAKE THIS THING GO FROM LEVEL 3 TO LEVEL 4 AND 5 IN THE FUTURE THEN IT IS THE MOST ADVANCED SYSTEM OUT THERE IN OUR MARKET.

>> OK. AND ARE THEY BEING MANUFACTURED NOW.

HOW MANY ARE BEING MANUFACTURED IF SO?

>> OH, YOU BET.

>> SO WE ARE KICKING THEM OUT.

YOU KNOW?

WE STARTED IN OCTOBER.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE.

RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL KEEP ON INCREASING PRODUCTION.

THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND AT THE SAME TIME INCREASING PRODUCTION WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING OUR CRAFT AND CASA GRANDE, WE HAVE PHASE ONE AND ABLE TO BE AROUND 20,000 A YEAR.

OUR PHASE TWO WILL TAKE US THE 990,000 VEHICLES A YEAR.

>> WOW SOIREES LAUNCHING THE VEHICLE AND EXPANDING AT THE SAME TIME.

THEY COMING OUT NOW AND AVAILABLE NOW.

OK HERE'S THE DEAL.

WHAT'S THE PRICE TAG ON THIS.

>> GREAT QUESTION.

THE THAT IS THE HIGH END TECHNOLOGY THAT IS YOU SEE THE 520 RANGE THE 1111-HORSEPOWER$169,000.

DON'T WORRY, TED.

THOSE ARE SOLD-OUT.

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE ONE.

>> OK.

I KNOW YOU WANTED ONE.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

FOR THE STANDARD MOLD.

WHAT KIND OF PRICE?

>> YEAH.

POTHEENS OF THIS YEAR WE HAVE THE LUCID AIR PURE AND WILL START UNDER$80,000.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AWARD AND GOOD LUCK DOWN THERE.

SOUNDS LIKE LOTS OF STUFF GOING ON HERE AND BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE APPRECIATE.

>> THANKS SOP.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

I AM TED SIMONS.

THANKS SO MUCH.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS ON ARIZONA PBS: ON CRONKITE NEWS: WHAT'S BEING DONE TO PROTECT JOSHUA TREES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND ON BREAK IT DOWN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.