A concept view of what has become the Lyriq, from 2019.
Cadillac photoOn Aug. 6, Cadillac will unveil a car that’s very important not only for the future of the division—which has struggled to gain traction—but also General Motors itself. The 2022 Cadillac Lyriq is the first full-electric vehicle from Cadillac, and it’s critical that the company get it right. Its prestige brand needs a prestige green-halo car.
The auto industry is in broad agreement that the future is electric, but Tesla has managed to not only harness early-mover advantage but launch must-have products that are beating just about everything else in the luxury segments. And the success goes beyond the market’s high end: In California, the Tesla Model 3 is even beating the Honda Civic to become the best-selling passenger car in the state. Today, Tesla alone commands 60% of the U.S. electric vehicle market.
Luxury EVs such as the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron, and Jaguar I-Pace (all very credible) are struggling to get attention. So the Lyriq, which is expected to cost between $75,000 (Luxury) and $90,000 (Platinum), has to really stand out.
The Lyriq’s story goes back to 2019, when Cadillac said it had been chosen to “spearhead General Motors’ shift to an all-electric future,” and showed a photo of a crossover built on GM’s next-generation electric architecture (which will first host the 2022 Hummer pickup). What we know so far is that the Lyriq will provide a home for GM’s new scalable Ultium batteries (developed with Korea’s LG Chem, they will live under the floor), and that “a full portfolio of luxury electric vehicles” is coming from the brand.
Range is critical. If the Lyriq offers less than 200 miles on a charge, it would be disappointing, but I expect it will do much more. The company’s Chevrolet Bolt (admittedly a smaller and lighter vehicle) offers 259 miles between charges.
On the Lyriq, the fender slides open to reveal the charging port.
Cadillac photoCadillac sent out a teaser image showing the Lyriq’s huge 33-inch OLED display. The numbers on the gauges would seem to suggest that the range is quite a decent 316 miles, reports GM Authority. In fact, it’s exactly the same range as Tesla’s new Model Y long-range crossover SUV. Expect a fairly large battery pack.
The Lyriq is likely to offer two motors, one on each axle for all-wheel drive and very good performance. Expect it to reach 60 miles per hour in less than five seconds. Cadillac has also released renderings of how the charging works. The rear of the driver’s fender slides forward to reveal the port, for regular and fast charging.
A video shows the exterior Cadillac crest lighting up sequentially on startup to, well, look cool. Other sneak peeks suggest that the car—at least in concept form—will have ample touchscreens, with a display for rear passengers as well. There’s a big crystal rotary knob to control functions. In keeping with the luxury image, there is high-quality burled wood trim. Some of these details may change in production.
And then there's the price. Those quoted are Car and Driver estimates. They place the Lyriq firmly in the luxury camp, which may dampen sales. The aforementioned long-range Tesla Model Y starts at $52,990.
Cadillac’s sedans have been languishing in the marketplace. The SUVs, such as the XT4, XT5, and XT6, are doing better, but have suffered in the pandemic. They’re clearly the future for the brand. The Lyriq will slot in there, but the carmaker needs to touch all the right bases to avoid also-ran status.
The first Lyriqs will go on sale in late 2021 or early 2022.
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August 05, 2020 at 02:11AM
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