August 6th is when the first-ever electric Cadillac will premiere, signaling a shift in powertrain solutions. The Blackwing twin-turbo V8 went out with a whimper, but the Lyriq and subsequent EVs will more than make up for the engine’s demise.
First things first, let’s talk about the platform. BEV3 is how General Motors calls the underpinnings of the Lyriq crossover, developed for rear-, front-, and all-wheel-drive applications alongside the Ultium battery with the know-how of LG Chem.
Even though it doesn’t show it from the side profile teaser photo at the end of the following video, the Lyriq is a seven-seat sport utility vehicle. It’s hard to tell if the footprint is similar to the XT6 yet third-row legroom will definitely be limited.
The newcomer “marks the beginning of a new chapter for the brand” according to an information-less press release. In it, the crown jewel of General Motors mentions “impressive technologies” such as the curved OLED display in the Escalade and Super Cruise, the semi-autonomous driving suite that isn’t on par with Tesla Autopilot. Criticism aside, Super Cruise will get better in 2021.
“Enhanced” is how Cadillac describes the most extensive update of the system to date, which adds automated lane changing and improvements to the UI and hands-free driving dynamics. Classified as Level 2 technology, Super Cruise plays second fiddle to the aforementioned Autopilot as well as Traffic Jam Pilot from Audi.
General Motors has also promised 19 different battery and drive unit configurations for BEV3 models, and this statement should translate into a rear-wheel-drive base version of the Lyriq. This way, the crossover’s price would go down enough to rival the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-tron quattro, and Jaguar I-Pace.
The Ultium battery will be offered in many capacities, ranging from 50 to 200 kWh. The latter offers up to 400 miles (643 kilometers) according to GM, and performance-wise, we have been promised 60 mph (97 kph) in three seconds.
We already know the name of the second EV from Cadillac too. Celestiq is how the low-slung sedan is called, and chances are it will be revealed next year. “Thousands of GM scientists, engineers, and designers are working to execute a historic reinvention of the company,” said GM prez Mark Reuss.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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