autoevolution
 

Cadillac Escalade IQ Teased for the First Time As All-Electric Fifth-Gen Escalade

Has anyone ever imagined, when Cadillac launched its first significant foray into the SUV market with the original Escalade for the 1999 model year, that one day we would see stuff like a Cadillac ESV, 682-hp Escalade-V and soon even an Escalade IQ?
Cadillac Escalade IQ first teaser 23 photos
Photo: Cadillac
Cadillac Escalade IQ first teaserCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-VCadillac Escalade-V
Back in 1998, Cadillac wanted to make sure it would not miss out on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Land Rover Range Rover, and Lexus LX party. But it mostly wanted to beat the premium aspirations out of Lincoln's Navigator. More than 25 years later, it has done that and much more, even if rivaling carmakers have since moved to ultra-luxury stuff like the Aston Martin DBX, Bentley Bentayga, Lambo Urus, or Rolls-Royce Cullinan, among others.

And seemingly in response to other automakers doubling up on the performance factor with stuff like the 715-hp Ferrari Purosangue or 738-hp BMW XM plug-in hybrid super-SUVs, Cadillac is going the way of zero emissions to also brawl with old and new entries on the market like the Tesla Model X, Rivian R1S, or the upcoming Volvo EX90. Well, we should have seen this coming, as General Motors already wants people to rush out and buy not just the GMC Hummer EV but also the GMC Hummer EV SUV based on their Ultium prowess.

Interestingly, Cadillac was not the last in its class regarding zero emissions ambitions by any means. After all, they are already selling the $58,590 Lyriq crossover SUV and the you-don't-want-to-know-the-MSRP Celestiq flagship fastback sedan. As opposed to the Lyriq SUV, already in production at Spring Hill Assembly in Tennessee, the upcoming Celestiq will be hand-built in Warren from around $300k! Anyway, a fully electric Caddy Escalade posh SUV will probably slot neatly in between, and hopefully, it will even be a tad cheaper than the $149,695 Escalade-V.

As for details, there are few of them at the moment. For now, Cadillac only kicked off the teaser campaign with a promise that the first all-electric Escalade "will be revealed later this year and promises the same commitment to craftsmanship, technology, and performance that has helped the Escalade nameplate dominate the large luxury SUV segment for the last 20 years." As for its name – Cadillac Escalade IQ – "the naming strategy celebrates (the) introduction of a different type of EV to the market — one that works in tandem with people's daily lives and environments."

Naturally, we are not beyond speculation, and as far as the embedded EV technology is concerned, there are two possible options. First would be the use of GM's BEV3 platform, as seen in the dual-motor AWD version of the Caddy Lyriq with 500 hp and a 100-kWh battery pack. But even more probable would be the use of a fresh Ultium architecture, just like on the 625-hp GMC Hummer EV2X or even the Chevy Silverado EV, with a much larger battery pack and access to the RST power output of 664 hp and 780 lb-ft (1,060 Nm). Well, the wait won't be long, as the model will be revealed in full "later this year."
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)

Editor's note: Gallery includes official images of the Cadillac Escalade-V.

press release
About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories