Cadillac ELR Will Enter Production in 2013, Shown at Detroit 2013

After a number of electric-powered concepts, Cadillac will have it’s very first production EV in the form of the ELR, a coupe based on the drivetrain of the Chevy Volt.

The latest reports from Detroit confirm this is indeed a 2014 model year car. At the SAE Convergence Conference in Detroit on Tuesday, General Motors North America President Mark Reuss told that the Cadillac ELR will be built at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly starting in late 2013.

“The ELR will be in a class by itself, further proof of our commitment to electric vehicles and advanced technology,” said Reuss. “People will instantly recognize it as a Cadillac by its distinctive, signature look and true-to-concept exterior design.”

The ELR will use an updated battery pack with better range than the Volt, as well as a four-cylinder range extender. Given their affinity for European turbo motors, could be be seeing something smaller?

Also, it’s all well and good to say the architecture of the Volt will be used. However, GM is working on the new D2XX platform, and if that isn’t ready by 2013, they still might find other ways to shed some weight. Remember, the ATS sedan was designed from the ground up to be a the lightest in its class, so it’s unlikely the ELR will be a pig of a car.