Cadillac has just revealed its first fully-electric SUV: the Lyriq. Built on an all-new architecture and billed as a rebirth for the storied brand, the Lyriq is an important vehicle for General Motors, and it looks unlike any Cadillac before it — inside and out.
Here we’ll share everything you need to know about one of the most exciting electric vehicles on the horizon, from when you’ll be able to order a Lyriq to what kind of range, performance and self-driving capabilities it will offer.
Cadillac Lyriq: Release date and pricing
The Lyriq won’t be available until 2022, and Cadillac is remaining tight-lipped on pricing, announcing only that it will start under $75,000.
The ambiguity toward cost is hardly surprising, considering there’s a lot of time left before the first examples begin reaching customers. Nevertheless, Cadillac says that the vehicle you see in the images provided here represents between 80% and 85% of how the final production model will look.
Cadillac Lyriq: Range, battery and performance
Cadillac claims a 300-mile range for the Lyriq, which is on par with the Performance version of the Tesla Model X, though about 50 miles short of the Long Range Plus configuration of Tesla’s larger crossover.
The core of that long-range power comes from GM’s new Ultium battery architecture, which is based around using the smallest number of the highest capacity battery cells. Cadillac claims this approach will keeps costs relatively low. And because it’s modular, it’ll likely inform the rest of GM’s EV offerings, across various bodystyles.
The Ultium battery system is also said to be an integral aspect of the Lyriq’s structure, which should help vehicle rigidity and thus, overall performance. It helps the Lyriq attain a perfectly balanced 50/50 weight distribution, and keeps the center of gravity low for better cornering. There will be both an all-wheel drive version featuring dual motors as well as a rear-wheel drive variant.
The Lyriq supports both Level 1 and Level 2 AC charging up to 19kW, for home charging, and public DC fast charging up to 150kW. GM has partnered with EVgo to supply Lyriq owners with a national charging network, and EVgo is equipped for DC fast charging.
Cadillac Lyriq: Design and interior
From a distance, the Cadillac Lyriq is an attractive two-row SUV, though not a particularly unique-looking one within Cadillac’s stable of large, angular vehicles. It’s only when you approach the Lyriq that you learn this isn’t your ordinary Cadillac.
The grille, lights and emblem are adorned with LEDs that turn on as you walk toward the car, cluing you into the Lyriq’s futuristic focus. And the raked back lends sportier lines to the Lyriq that distinguishes it from traditional, boxier SUVs, with massive taillights that extend two feet into the C-pillar. The Lyriq rides on large 22-inch wheels, and the long and wide stance gives it an especially imposing appearance.
Inside, the Lyriq’s dash is dominated by a massive 33-inch display extending from where you’d normally encounter the driver’s instrument cluster all the way past the center. The steering wheel isn’t made up of buttons at all — controls are lit on a piano black surface with LEDs, and scroll wheels and knobs are festooned with knurled edges, lending an appropriately premium aesthetic.
One of the Lyriq’s most interesting and distinctive interior details is its “jewelry box” storage tray underneath the center stack, which gently reveals itself and is lined with blue fabric. In GM’s reveal video, there was a smartphone inside the tray, perhaps indicating that this space can wirelessly charge your devices.
Cadillac Lyriq: Super Cruise self driving and special features
The Lyriq will sport Cadillac’s Super Cruise autonomous driving technology, which is already available in the marque’s newest models, including the 2021 Escalade. Super Cruise is currently classified as a “Level 2” system, meaning drivers must still remain attentive to what’s happening on the road in front of them, though they may remove their hands from the wheel when conditions allow it.
By the time the Lyriq reaches showrooms, however, Super Cruise could graduate to Level 3 autonomy, which won’t require eyes-on driving all of the time. The Lyriq is equipped with technology to make automated lane changes, and will be able to remotely park itself as well.
The Lyriq’s heads-up display utilizes augmented reality and benefits from information provided by the car’s assisted driving sensors. That means that when executing a lane change, for example, the heads-up display can show an arrow atop the road from your perspective demonstrating the action the vehicle is about to take before it commences on its path.
In terms of interior sound, the Lyriq will employ a 19-speaker system co-engineered with AKG.
Cadillac Lyriq: Outlook
The road to production for the Lyriq is long, and so it could be a while before Cadillac reveals information like pricing, hard performance figures, and more granular options.
That said, the Lyriq is certainly a vehicle we, and likely the rest of the world, will be watching closely. It represents where the automotive industry is headed — not simply in terms of electrification, but also interior technology, self-driving and design. Watch this space, as we’ll continue to update this hub with news on the Lyriq as it becomes available.