GM unveiled its first electric luxury SUV in April 2021 but has yet to deliver the first examples to customers. Although limited pre-production activities have already started at the GM Spring Hill plant in Tennessee, the volume production is still weeks away.
According to GM Authority sources, the first units of the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq are scheduled to leave the production line on March 21st. As expected, the first customers who will get their shiny new toys will be those that ordered a Debut Edition trim of the electric SUV. Lyriq is built on GM’s BEV3 platform and will feature Ultium Technology throughout, including the Ultium battery and Ultium drive motor.
The Lyriq represents Cadillac’s ticket into the future after its traditional lineup has become long in the tooth. Escalade might be a powerful status symbol but in the face of switching to less polluting vehicles it weighs down GM’s luxury brand. When Cadillac opened the reservation list, all positions were filled up in a matter of minutes. One day later, the Debut Edition reservations were also filled up equally fast. Now, Cadillac intends to reopen the order books as soon as Lyriq volume production will start.
The Cadillac Lyriq comes in standard with a 100-kWh battery and a single 340-horsepower drive motor, making it a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. All-wheel-drive configurations will also become available at a later time. This is an approach that contrasts with how other carmakers have begun their EV production. Most prefer to start with the most expensive variants and slowly extend production to more accessible trims as the technology matures and the production ramps up.
GM promised the Lyriq in basic trim will be able to cover 300 miles (483 km) with one battery charge, while the fast charging capabilities will allow 76 miles (122 km) of range to be recovered in 10 minutes of charging. This is when plugged into a 190-kW charger, but there’s also an AC charger onboard with 19.2 kW which can recover 52 miles of range in one hour of charge.
The Lyriq represents Cadillac’s ticket into the future after its traditional lineup has become long in the tooth. Escalade might be a powerful status symbol but in the face of switching to less polluting vehicles it weighs down GM’s luxury brand. When Cadillac opened the reservation list, all positions were filled up in a matter of minutes. One day later, the Debut Edition reservations were also filled up equally fast. Now, Cadillac intends to reopen the order books as soon as Lyriq volume production will start.
The Cadillac Lyriq comes in standard with a 100-kWh battery and a single 340-horsepower drive motor, making it a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. All-wheel-drive configurations will also become available at a later time. This is an approach that contrasts with how other carmakers have begun their EV production. Most prefer to start with the most expensive variants and slowly extend production to more accessible trims as the technology matures and the production ramps up.
GM promised the Lyriq in basic trim will be able to cover 300 miles (483 km) with one battery charge, while the fast charging capabilities will allow 76 miles (122 km) of range to be recovered in 10 minutes of charging. This is when plugged into a 190-kW charger, but there’s also an AC charger onboard with 19.2 kW which can recover 52 miles of range in one hour of charge.