Lucid is facing a new federal lawsuit this week after its former chief engineer, Eric Bach, accused the automaker of discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful dismissal. The suit, lodged in the Northern District of California, claims Bach was pushed out after reporting a senior HR leader who allegedly referred to him as a “German Nazi.”
According to the filing, the alleged remarks and internal fallout took place over the course of 2024 and 2025 during a workplace culture investigation. Bach — who spent a decade at Lucid and held responsibility for hardware engineering, product management, and corporate planning — says he was stripped of key responsibilities, notably oversight of the powertrain division, shortly after issues were raised.
The complaint states that when Bach learned of the offensive comment from a colleague in mid-2025, he encouraged them to report it through proper channels. He later submitted his own complaint, which he says resulted in Lucid “confirming” the slur had been made. Rather than protect him, Bach alleges the company marginalized him further, removing him from board-level discussions and suggesting he resign. When he refused, the suit claims he was terminated on November 5, 2025.
Bach’s lawyers point to his track record as evidence the company had no performance-based reason to dismiss him. During his tenure, he helped lead development of Lucid’s first two models — the Air sedan and the newly launched Gravity SUV. The lawsuit highlights recent raises, bonuses, equity grants, and even indications from Lucid leadership that he was being considered for a future Chief Technology Officer role.
Lucid has not yet filed a formal legal response, but a company source reportedly described the claims as “baseless,” suggesting the restructuring of the engineering organization was driven by product execution challenges — particularly as software and manufacturing concerns have mounted across the EV industry. The automaker promoted Emad Dlala to a new Senior VP role overseeing engineering and digital systems after Bach’s departure.
Bach is seeking a jury trial and intends to pursue claims under both federal civil-rights protections and California employment law. Potential remedies could include damages and changes to Lucid’s HR practices.
You can read the full lawsuit below. (via TechCrunch)
