General Motors’ luxury brand Cadillac introduced the all-electric Lyriq SUV as a near-production concept back in August 2020. Fast forward to April 2021, the final version is here and it has largely inherited the design. It’s just as sharp-looking as the concept before it, but it eschews the side cameras for traditional mirrors and has smaller-but-still-large wheels measuring 22 inches. The A-pillars are thicker now, but that’s to be expected on the road to production.
Customers will get to pick at first from Stellar Black Metallic and Satin Steel Metallic exterior paint finishes, while the interior will come in either Noir (black) or Sky Cool Gray. Speaking of the cabin, its dashboard is dominated by a giant 33-inch screen with a slightly curved design. There are no fewer than 19 speakers throughout the interior as part of the AKG Studio sound system, some of which are embedded into the headrests.
Riding on GM’s new Ultium platform for dedicated electric vehicles, the Cadillac Lyriq will be available initially in rear-wheel-drive form with a single electric motor. It’ll be good for 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet (440 Newton-meters) of torque. It draws the necessary juice from a large 100-kWh battery pack with enough energy for more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) of range between charges.
Once you’re out of juice, a DC fast-charge will offer 76 miles (122 kilometers) of range in just 10 minutes while 195 miles (314 kilometers) of range are available if you plug in the electric SUV for half an hour.
For those in need of more oomph, Cadillac has confirmed a performance version will follow with all-wheel drive, meaning the Lyriq is going to gain a front-mounted electric motor for additional power.
Meanwhile, production of the posh electric SUV is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of next year at GM’s factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee. The starting price of $59,990 is attractive, but we’re fairly certain the average price will be significantly higher since customers shopping in the luxury segment tend to add quite a few options. Needless to say, the AWD-equipped performance model will command a premium.
Source: Cadillac
