Cadillac has announced its first fully-electric car, the Lyriq – and it’s a looker.
Although the crossover SUV was technically revealed back in 2020, it was, at the time, merely a concept car, but it’s impressive to see Cadillac remain so faithful to that same design in its production offering, which is set to arrive in 2022.
Beyond its futuristic aesthetic – think of it as a four-wheeled great white shark – the Lyriq is also set to come equipped with some impressive performance specs and energy-saving credentials.
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For starters, Cadillac claims its EV debut will boast 300 miles of range from a 100kWh battery, utilising the same electric architecture as GMC’s upcoming EV Hummer SUV (both manufacturers are off-shoot brands of General Motors).
For comparison, that’s a meatier battery and longer range than the entry-level models of both the Audi Q4 e-tron and BMW iX, though it’s worth remembering that these figures are merely projections at this stage, and may deflate somewhat upon the car’s eventual arrival.
A single permanent-magnet motor will drive the rear axle, providing, Cadillac says, a power output of approximately 340bhp / 255kW to the 5,610-pound vehicle. It will be interesting to see, then, if the Lyriq can live up to its bold range claims, given that it’s such a heavy car. Perhaps its weight is an ode to Cadillac’s muscle car roots?
Less impressive is the Lyriq’s anticipated charge time – said to be 52 miles of range per hour from an at-home 240V AC charger, though public DC fast charging bumps this up to around 76 miles in just 10 minutes, which isn’t too shabby.
Inside job
Inside the Cadillac Lyriq, things once again take a turn for the impressive.
The dashboard is Mercedes-esque in design, boasting a giant 33-inch LED display that spans almost two-thirds of its entire width. The climate vents, too, stretch right the way across the front of the car.
The steering wheel in the Lyriq is a refreshingly understated affair for a Cadillac, though it’s still loaded with enough buttons and bezels to keep things suitably futuristic. Super Cruise, the brand’s hands-free driving-assistance feature for compatible roads, will also feature.
What’s more, the manufacturer has made a point of accentuating the car’s hefty internal space, with both seat rows allowing for 38 and 39 inches of headroom, respectively, and roughly 40 inches of legroom. Admittedly, that’s a lot of breathing room for a crossover SUV in today’s market.
The trunk will benefit from that same generous size, too, boasting 28 cubic feet of space behind the second row, which expands to 60.8 cubes when the rear seats are folded down.
As for its price, the base model Cadillac Lyriq will start at $59,990, with options and further model variants set to inflate that figure. While that’s not exactly inexpensive for a brand new electric car, it’s a much smaller sum than you’d have to fork out should you decide to opt for one of those aforementioned German SUVs.
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Via Roadshow
