The Cadillac LYRIQ is the company’s first all-electric vehicle and a much-needed entry for the brand in China.
The race is on for car companies to release the best possible electric vehicles to the market as the automotive industry makes its first serious steps for widespread adoption. While some startups, like Tesla, have been defined by electric power from the get-go, others have had to ditch decades upon decades of ICE tradition in order to make the transition.
One such company is General Motors’ Cadillac. Last August they unveiled their first-ever electric vehicle concept and that vehicle has inched closer to production and now the LYRIQ has been open for booking in China for over a month.
So far, the response has been rather good, with over 5,000 preorders being made there. Production is anticipated to begin in mid-2022 despite the ongoing semiconductor shortage and pricing is rather steep at nearly US$70,000 for a base model.
Cadillac has always positioned itself as a luxury American marque, as such, the LYRIQ is aimed at a more upmarket segment. It’s also a large vehicle. In China it will have a length over 5 metres and a wheelbase of more than 3 metres. Inside, the LYRIQ comes with a 33″ diagonal 9K LED display with a billion colours. This main display is used for both driver information and infotainment. Entertainment is a central highlight of the LYRIQ, as such a 19-speaker AKG Studio Sound System will be fitted with Quantum Logic surround sound technology and 5G connectivity comes with the car. However, the real highlight of the Cadillac LYRIQ is its gigantic black crystal light grille up front.
In terms of specifications, the Cadillac LYRIQ comes with a 95.7 kWh battery pack and rear-wheel drive with a 255kW/440Nm of torque electric motor. It has a 0-100km/h time of just 6.9 seconds, which is just about passable in today’s EV market. The range is good at 650km, so all is forgiven. It also comes with Super Cruise hands-free driving.
Cadillac is drawing customers in China in with 10,000 km of free public charging, a choice of unique exterior colours and prioritised delivery should they put a preorder down by the end of April 2022.
