Official: All-Electric 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Packs 750 Horsepower for a Cool $130,000

The public unveiling of the Cadillac Escalade IQ is scheduled in Times Square on August 9 at 7:30 PM EST. Lucky New Yorkers will get to see it in person less than three months after GM announced it, which is a new record, I believe, for a completely new model. Make no mistake, although the Escalade IQ might look similar to the ICE model, it's nothing but. The electric Escalade shares very few things with its gas-guzzling brother.

The dedicated all-electric architecture afforded the design team a blank-slate approach to its styling. It looks familiar but strikingly different, an icon reimagined as Cadillac's tagline says. Keeping the Escalade spirit alive while at the same time offering an aerodynamically efficient design was the most challenging task. The result is a sleeker silhouette for GM's most aerodynamic full-size SUV ever produced. Cadillac claims a 15 percent lower drag coefficient than previous Escalade generations.

The design team worked on the smallest aerodynamic details, such as the sharp trailing edge of Cadillac's iconic taillights, the smooth underbody, intelligent grille shutters, and even the shape and profile of the wheels. The result was an impressive estimated range of 450 miles (724 km), a significant improvement compared to its cousin, the GMC Hummer EV.

The Cadillac Escalade IQ is 224.3 inches/5697 mm long, 12.4 inches/315 mm longer than the ICE Escalade, and almost as long as the Escalade ESV. The Ultium EV platform allowed Cadillac to push the wheels closer to the vehicle's corners, creating more space. This affects the wheelbase, which is 136.2 inches/3460 mm long, trumping even the 134.1 in (3,406 mm) of the Escalade ESV. As you can imagine, the cabin and cargo area provide plenty of space. Thanks to its electric architecture, the Cadillac Escalade IQ also features a humongous front trunk, which Cadillac calls eTrunk. This can accommodate 12.2 cu-ft/345.4 liters of cargo.

The Escalade IQ features a 24-module Ultium battery with a 200-kWh energy capacity. Like the GMC Hummer EV, it employs a flexible, high-voltage architecture supporting both 400-volt and 800-volt charging. The latter can recoup up to 100 miles (161 km) in 10 minutes of charging. The electric seven-seater will have Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) bi-directional charging technology. However, the feature will come later via an OTA software update.

The dual-motor configuration delivers up to 750 horsepower with the driver-selectable Velocity Max driving mode and 680 horsepower in the Normal model. This is enough to catapult the Escalade IQ from naught to 60 mph (97 kph) in under 5 seconds, again, in the Velocity Max mode. The all-electric Escalade can also tow trailers up to 8,000 pounds/3,628 kg.

Step inside the Escalade IQ, and you'll be stunned by the curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch LED display powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Cockpit Platform. It features virtual Smart Controls and Android Automotive, with Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Play on a paid service plan.

The Escalade IQ knows all the tricks in the driver-assist book but, most importantly, comes with GM's Super Cruise, which Cadillac claims to be "the industry's first true hands-free advanced driver assistance system." The system controls steering, acceleration, and brakes to keep the vehicle aligned in the lane and consistent with surrounding traffic.

Thanks to the three-row configuration, the Cadillac Escalade IQ offers ample space and comfort for up to seven people. The optional Executive Second-Row Seating package offers stowable tray tables, 12.6-inch personal screens, a rear command center screen, massaging seats, and headrest speakers. The third row folds flat at a touch of a button for more storage.

The Cadillac Escalade IQ production will start next summer at GM's Factory ZERO in Michigan. The electric full-size SUV will reach dealerships in the second half of the year as a 2025 model. Pricing starts at around $130,000, including destination charges, although the dealers ultimately set the final price.