Photo: Cadillac
The first time Cadillac presented the plug-in hybrid derivative of the CT6, the year was 2015 and the venue was Auto Shanghai. Some two years later, the CT6 Plug-In reached U.S. dealer lots, boasting an EPA-rated gas mileage of just 26 mpg combined.
Want to take a wild guess how much better that is compared to the entry-level CT6 2.0L Turbo? One mile per gallon. It’s too little too late if I’m honest, especially if you take into consideration the huge price gap between the 2.0L and the Plug-In: $53,795 vs. $75,095.
Then there’s the matter of origin. The ICE-only variants of the CT6, which include 2.0-, 3.0-, and 3.6-liter engines, are manufactured in the U.S. at Hamtramck Assembly. The Plug-In, on the other hand, sees the light of day at the Shanghai-based Jinqiao plant in China.
This isn’t General Motors’ first attempt at selling a Chinese-built product in the United States, though. The Buick Envision is yet another example of American automakers turning to China for cheap-ish production costs, and Envision sales keep on rising.
In the case of the CT6, the crown jewel of General Motors has a hard time moving inventory. From 1,220 units sold in the U.S. in January 2017, February saw that volume drop to 951, then March came with merely 528. To make matters worse for the CT6 Plug-In, it should be mentioned that the luxurious sedan with eco-friendly credentials doesn’t use a dedicated system, but borrows lots of hardware from the Chevy Volt. 18.4 kWh battery included.
In all-electric mode, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the 2017 Cadillac CT6 Plug-In is good for 33.94 miles highway, 27.76 miles in the city, and just about 31 miles combined. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550e and the 2017 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance, meanwhile, manage 14 miles.
The $75,095 price includes a 220V charger, free installation, plus eight year’s worth of unlimited-mileage warranty for the battery and electric motors.
Then there’s the matter of origin. The ICE-only variants of the CT6, which include 2.0-, 3.0-, and 3.6-liter engines, are manufactured in the U.S. at Hamtramck Assembly. The Plug-In, on the other hand, sees the light of day at the Shanghai-based Jinqiao plant in China.
This isn’t General Motors’ first attempt at selling a Chinese-built product in the United States, though. The Buick Envision is yet another example of American automakers turning to China for cheap-ish production costs, and Envision sales keep on rising.
In the case of the CT6, the crown jewel of General Motors has a hard time moving inventory. From 1,220 units sold in the U.S. in January 2017, February saw that volume drop to 951, then March came with merely 528. To make matters worse for the CT6 Plug-In, it should be mentioned that the luxurious sedan with eco-friendly credentials doesn’t use a dedicated system, but borrows lots of hardware from the Chevy Volt. 18.4 kWh battery included.
In all-electric mode, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the 2017 Cadillac CT6 Plug-In is good for 33.94 miles highway, 27.76 miles in the city, and just about 31 miles combined. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz S550e and the 2017 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance, meanwhile, manage 14 miles.
The $75,095 price includes a 220V charger, free installation, plus eight year’s worth of unlimited-mileage warranty for the battery and electric motors.
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