First, let’s talk its design. From some angles, the Celestiq is breathtakingly beautiful. From others, it’s kind of frumpy and weird. There’s a lot to look at and take in, question, and ponder. It grows on you. From the outside it’s just as interesting as any Rolls-Royce or Bentley. Inside, there’s enough ambient lighting inside to spot it from space, the materials all seem lovely, and it features a ton of tech but it’s not too in your face. It also seems to have a retro-futuristic design, as if it was a 1930s interior car designer’s vision of the future.

However, does it really scream Rolls or Bentley-beater? We’re not so sure. Mercedes S-Class-beater? Definitely in the conversation. But it’s going to take actually sitting inside of it, touching the materials and feeling the ambience, to determine whether it can truly take on the best in the world. I do like the “Hand Built Detroit” badge, though.

Under that very pretty skin is a 111 kWh battery pack that powers two electric motors to make 600 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. Cadillac claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds and a range of around 300 miles. That’s about on par with the Rolls-Royce Spectre, even better in some ways. However, and this includes cars like the Spectre, it’s quite amazing how far legacy automakers are behind Lucid and Tesla. The Lucid Air uses a similarly sized battery, makes almost double the power in its top-end Sapphire spec, and gets hundreds of miles more range.

That being said, a car like the Celestiq isn’t designed for brutal performance or handling. It’s designed to be incredible to look at and wonderful to be in. While it’s impossible to judge the latter, as we haven’t driven it yet, we think the Americans nailed the former. So can the Cadillac Celestiq really take on Rolls and Bentley? Just based on its design, we think it has a real chance.

[Photos: Cadillac]

The post Cadillac Celestiq vs. Rolls-Royce Spectre and Bentley appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Meanwhile, the much more expensive GMC Hummer pickup truck together with its SUV equivalent have generated combined interest in excess of 59,000 reservations. At the same time, BrightDrop vans are also in high demand as more than 25,000 reservations have been made so far. No numbers have been provided for the Cadillac Lyriq of which customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in the coming months.

Bear in mind Chevrolet has already announced the Equinox EV and Blazer EV will go on sale during the 2024 model year, so GM has a lot on its plate when it comes to diversifying its electric offerings. To make it happen, the North American conglomerate has already invested more than $14 billion in 10 states across the country since 2020 and will spend a further $7 billion to boost battery cell and EV assembly capacity.

GM head honcho Mary Barra said one of the short-term objectives is to sell 400,000 purely electric vehicles in North America through 2023. However, the future looks grim for the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV as the factory in Orion Township, Michigan where the two are made will be repurposed for other products. It’s necessary to reach an overall target for 2026 of producing 600,000 electric trucks by the end of 2025.

Getting back to the Silverado EV, GM says more than 240 fleet operations have made reservations for the fullsize electric pickup. In addition, BrightDrop has lured in some big names, including Walmart and FedEx Express, which will be using their cargo vans. While no reservations numbers have been made public for the Lyriq, GM is happy to report it won’t organize a new round of reservations because the backlog is already pretty big. Instead, Cadillac will begin to take customer orders after the Debut Edition hits the market in March.

Source: General Motors

The post 2024 Chevy Silverado EV Reservations Reach More Than 110,000 appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

GM President Mark Reuss took to LinkedIn to publish an image of the very first pre-production Lyriq as it was about to leave the assembly line. Accompanying the photo uploaded by the company executive onto the business networking platform was his promise to deliver the first vehicles to customers “in a few months.”

We are looking at a rear-wheel-drive version since the production of an AWD-equipped model will start towards the end of the year, with deliveries from early 2023. Meanwhile, all cars shipped to early adopters from late Q1 2022 will be the Lyriq Debut Edition, which was sold out in a matter of minutes once Cadillac began to accept $100 refundable deposits. However, it’s still unclear how many units the American luxury brand will produce. Some say only 1,500 examples will be made, but nothing is official at this point.

The 2023 Lyriq Debut Edition packs 340 horsepower (254 kilowatts) and 325 pound-feet (440 newton-meters) of torque combined with a large 100-kWh battery. Riding on the Ultium platform shared with the GMC Hummer and the Chevrolet Silverado EV, the electric SUV promises to go more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) on a single charge.

It will support DC fast-charging, in which case 10 minutes of juicing up the battery at 190 kW will translate into 76 miles (122 kilometers) of range. Charge it for half an hour and you’ll have 195 miles (314 kilometers). Overall, the SUV has some solid technical specifications to back up its stylish exterior design and high-tech interior.

Source: Mark Reuss / LinkedIn

The post 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Pre-Production Begins, Deliveries In A Few Months appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

It rides on the Ultium platform shared with newcomers such as the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Equinox EV, but Cadillac has taken things further by adopting a “wireless battery management system.” What does the term “wireless” mean in this case? The modules for the battery pack are not connected all to one another as they’ve been spread around the imposingly long concept.

The InnerSpace has been envisioned as a purely electric grand tourer with room inside for only two people. Because this is where the automotive industry is inevitably heading, the concept is entirely autonomous. Thanks to its unusual battery layout, the engineers and designers had the freedom to implement an extremely low seating position akin to a sports car.

Literally too good to be true, Cadillac’s newest showcar debuting this week at CES 2022 in Las Vegas has a low-slung attitude with massive wheels. It also boasts doors that extend all the way to the middle of the roof to ease access into and out of the lounge-like cabin. For an even more comfortable entry and egress, the two seats automatically pivot outward once the giant doors are opened.

From the gargantuan screen inside made from surface-mounted diodes (SMD) LEDs to the bespoke tires for electric vehicles conceived by Goodyear, the InnerSpace is a technological tour de force. If you’re curious about the rubber covering the two-tone wheels, they’re made from soybean oil and rice husk-based silica and have a special feature meant to diminish soundwave resonance.

We can only hope the styling will one day rub off onto a production vehicle, but for now, the Cadillac InnerSpace is nothing more than a concept car envisioning a driverless, tech-laden electric coupe from a distant future.

Source: Cadillac

The post Cadillac InnerSpace concept debuts as stunning electric coupe appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Those who have signed up to get the Lyriq Debut Edition have agreed to make a $100 refundable deposit and will have their orders verified from December 2021. They’re in for a long wait as production of the electric SUV won’t kick off before the end of Q1 2022. It’s worth noting the Debut Edition comes exclusively with a rear-wheel-drive layout as production of the AWD variant is scheduled to commence late next year, with customer deliveries earmarked for the beginning of 2023.

The American luxury brand hasn’t specified how many units of the Debut Edition will be made, although we’re hearing about 1,500 vehicles are going to be assembled. Per Cadillac, ordering the Lyriq in Stellar Black Metallic and/or with a Noir interior cabin will push back customer deliveries until fall 2022. The electric SUV’s starting price is $59,990 before options.

As a refresher, the Debut Edition offers 340 horsepower (254 kilowatts) and 325 pound-feet (440 newton-meters) along with at least 300 miles (483 kilometers) of EPA-estimated range from its 100-kWh Ultium battery pack. Using a DC fast-charging station for 10 minutes of charging at 190 kilowatts will offer 76 miles of range while juicing up for 30 minutes gives you 195 miles.

Assembly will take place at GM’s factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee where the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variant will also be assembled. Pricing for the AWD-equipped variant has not been disclosed, but it will certainly command a premium over the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive configuration.

Source: Cadillac

The post 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Debut Edition sold out in minutes appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

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

The post 2023 Cadillac Lyriq production version revealed with $59,990 price appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Currently available with large V6 diesel and V8 gasoline engine, the Escalade is the epitome of a gas-guzzler. That could all change in roughly three years from now provided LMC analyst Katelyn Drake is to be believed. She has it on good authority General Motors is also cooking up a GMC-branded electric pickup truck due to arrive by mid-2023. These two EVs would follow the Hummer pickup entering production before the end of this year, the Silverado EV allegedly hitting the assembly line by late next year, and the Hummer SUV confirmed for early 2023.

All of them will be built at GM’s Factory Zero in Detroit and will have a similar size and share the Ultium platform, according to Katelyn Drake. It seems unlikely an electric Escalade would replace the traditional model powered by combustion engines, although it’s only a matter of time before the ICE models will be abandoned in favor of purely electric propulsion.

For what it’s worth, Chevrolet has already said the recently announced Silverado will not spell the end for the regular pickup in the foreseeable future. That said, the instant torque delivered by an electric motor will likely convince more and more people to ditch gasoline and diesel engines for EVs, especially since the GMC Hummer EV truck will have some mind-boggling technical specifications with up to 1,000 horsepower.

There’s still the issue with range considering a pickup used as an actual workhorse will have a far lower range in real life. GM estimates the Hummer truck will offer more than 350 miles of range while the SUV will be good for 300+ miles, according to the company’s internal estimations. We’ll have to wait for customer deliveries to see how these numbers are going to translate in real life.

In the long run, GM wants to sell only electric vehicles by the middle of the next decade, effectively meaning cars, SUVs, and pickups with gasoline and diesel engines will be retired by 2035.

Source: Detroit News

The post Electric Cadillac Escalade reportedly entering production in 2024 appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Series production is set to take place at GM’s Spring Hill factory in Tennessee and we already know the high-end electric SUV will offer more than 300 miles of range on a full charge. It will utilize the newly developed Ultium battery system already seen in the GMC Hummer EV pickup truck and the SUV version introduced a few hours ago.

A lower center of gravity has been promised, along with a near 50:50 weight distribution and a large 100-kWh battery pack. In standard configuration, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq will feature a single electric motor driving the rear wheels, but the more expensive versions will add a front motor to enable an AWD setup.

DC fast-charging capabilities are planned for the luxury SUV, meaning owners will be able to charge the battery pack at over 150 kW. As expected from a premium GM product, the Lyriq will benefit from the most sophisticated version of the Super Cruise autonomous driving system and is going to offer the latest tech, including remote parking, head-up display with augmented reality, and a massive 33-inch fully digital display dominating the dashboard.

Another tech-laden EV from Cadillac will be the Celestiq fullsize luxury sedan we’re expecting to break cover this summer if recent reports are to be believed. We should see a concept or prototype in the months to come, ahead of a market launch scheduled to take place either by the end of 2023 or early 2024. The fully loaded version is said to cost somewhere in the region of $200,000, meaning the base trim level will probably cost a lot more than the Lyriq as the electric SUV will start at less than $60,000.

Source: Mahmoud Samara / LinkedIn

The post Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV pre-production prototype hits the road appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

According to the report, Cadillac originally had planned to introduce the Celestiq as early as April, but the debut has been delayed to either July or August. It’s important to mention the zero-emissions luxury sedan is going to be unveiled only as a showcar or concept. GM’s high-end brand is far from being done with the EV’s development considering the production model won’t hit the market until late 2023 or early 2024.

When the Celestiq will debut in production form, expect a steep asking price of somewhere in the region of $200,000. The styling will likely take after the already revealed Lyriq SUV and the stunning Escala concept. Meanwhile, the teaser campaign has given us an idea of what to expect from the avant-garde EV, which will have a full-glass roof and a wide digital display stretching across the entire width of the dashboard.

From the little details released so far by Cadillac, we know the Celestiq will be underpinned by GM’s new BEV3 platform and is going to be among the first recipients of the Ultium batteries promising to offer as much as 450 miles (724 kilometers) of range in some vehicles. The stately zero-emissions sedan is said to have a range of at least 300 miles (483 kilometers), and much like the forthcoming Mercedes EQS, will boast a rear-wheel-steering system to lower the turning circle and make the big sedan feel more agile.

GM officials have already announced the Celestiq is going to be assembled by hand and production will be limited, although an exact number has not been provided. It will be built at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan at a rate of just 1.2 cars per day.

Source: Cadillac Society

The post $200,000 Cadillac Celestiq flagship electric sedan debuting this summer? appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Teased during the digital-only CES 2021, the Celestiq is being described by GM as a “stunning vehicle with a dramatic presence, a low profile and rearward proportions.” We also know some of the goodies it will pack, including all-wheel drive and a four-wheel steering system. The teaser video also shows a massive four-quadrant glass roof manufactured from suspended-particle-device smart glass, providing selectable levels of transparency.

There’s more to the interior than the gargantuan glass as Cadillac also provided a glimpse of the ultra-wide screen dominating the dashboard, extending from one pillar to the other. Unlike other all-digital setups we’ve seen lately (Mercedes EQS, Honda E), it appears the Celestiq will have one giant screen rather than several displays arranged side by side.

Speaking of displays, the tech-laden EV will also have console screens between seats in the front and back, each incorporating separate comfort settings. By the looks of it, it appears the number of conventional buttons will be kept down to a minimum considering the generous use of screens throughout the cabin.

Hand-assembled in limited volumes, the hugely promising Cadillac Celestiq will ride on the same BEV3 architecture as the Lyriq SUV and could cost as much as $200,000. The two high-end electric models will share the newly developed Ultium batteries, which promise to offer enough juice for up to 450 miles (724 kilometers) of range between charges.

Beyond the two zero-emissions Cadillacs, GM is also working on the GMC Hummer EV pickup truck and its SUV sibling. Chevy will update the Bolt and introduce its crossover counterpart, along with an electric pickup. Buick will freshen up its Velite models for China with new EVs, and there should also be something for performance enthusiasts. Some say it could be a Corvette electric SUV, but that remains to be seen.

Source: Cadillac

The post Cadillac Celestiq EV teased on video with full-glass roof, wide screen appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.