The signal for the end of gasoline cars from the Cadillac has been made clear by the launch of the new all-electric 2023 Cadillac Lyric.
KEY POINTS:-
- Strikingly similar to the concept revealed last year, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq will arrive in the first half of 2022, priced starting just under $60,000. Reservations open in September.
- As part of the announcement, Cadillac vice-president Rory Harvey said we will not get another new Cadillac model with an internal combustion engine. It's all-electric from now on, in North America at least.
- More than 300 miles of range on a full charge, a 19.2-kW onboard charger, Super Cruise, and a 33-inch screen put the Lyriq right in line with other upscale EVs being offered in the coming years.
The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq won't just be the brand's first all-electric vehicle; it is also the Cadillac that most clearly signals a complete transition away from internal combustion engines in favor of EVs. According to Rory Harvey, vice president of Global Cadillac, during an announcement for the Lyriq: "Every new Cadillac that we introduce from this point on in North America will be a state-of-the-art luxury electric vehicle."
The oldest vehicle in Cadillac's lineup is the XT4, which was launched in August 2018, and the flagship Escalade just got a new, fifth-generation for 2021. The current lineup of gasoline-powered Cadillacs will continue to get mid-cycle refreshes in the coming years, but don't expect to see any new product announcements about ICE models. Instead, look for more launches like the Celestiq, which debuted at CES this year, and the new Lyriq.
The Lyriq was first revealed in concept form last August. The production model will arrive in the first half of 2022 and, according to GM, it's going to be awfully similar to the concept. The concept car used slightly bigger wheels than the production model, for example, and the door construction is slightly different but other than that there aren't many exterior changes, said Andrew Smith, executive director of Global Cadillac Design. There are two main differences in the interior: five seats in the production model instead of the four seen in the show car and, of course, more cupholders in the production model.
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From the outside, though, the Lyriq keeps both the overall design as well as a choreographed lighting sequence presented by the slim-line LED headlamps. Since the black crystal grille didn't need to focus on conducting airflow through an engine bay, designers used its futuristic look to cleverly hide the many sensors the car needs for its high-tech features, Smith said. Exterior colors include Satin Steel Metallic and Stellar Black Metallic, while the inside can be had in Sky Cool Gray or Noir. "We will also introduce the Juniper at some time in the near future, which is the color you saw in the show vehicle itself," Smith said.
Cadillac said the 2023 Lyriq will have a range of over 300 miles from a 100.0-kWh battery pack. The rear-wheel-drive Ultium platform that the Lyriq will ride on will produce 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, Cadillac said. A "performance" all-wheel-drive version is expected later as well. The new EV will offer an onboard charging module capable of up to 19.2 kW, which will allow up to 52 miles of range for each hour it's connected to a compatible Level 2 charging station.
The 19.2-kW onboard charger will be a standard feature on the First Release trim and an optional feature on other trims said Lyriq chief engineer Jamie Brewer. DC fast charging will also be available, and at a 150-kW station, the Lyriq will fill up 76 miles of range in about 10 minutes. Once they're back on the road, drivers will be able to control the way the EV slows down through variable regenerative braking levels that can offer one-pedal driving.
Cadillac will start taking Lyriq reservations in September, with the first vehicles going to customers in early 2022. The Lyriq is priced starting at $59,990 and will be built in Spring Hill, Tennessee. GM recently announced its Ultium Cells joint venture with LG Energy Solution will invest $2.3 billion in a new battery cell manufacturing plant in Spring Hill.
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-Amaan Attar
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