Caddy has officially unveiled the Cadillac Lyriq show car, previewing what’s to come in the luxury brand’s battery-driven future.
From the off, it’s important to note that this is the Cadillac Lyriq show car, and not the final production vehicle. Rather, this vehicle is 80 to 85 percent production-ready, which means some of the styling and features won’t make the cut when it finally starts rolling off the line.
For example, the Lyriq show car’s ultra-thin sideview mirrors will not make it into production. However, the attractive shoulder line, roofline, proportions, and fascia treatments are all on-target for the production vehicle.
And that’s a good thing, too, because the Cadillac Lyriq is a looker, no doubt about it. It has no small degree of futuristic styling cues as well, such as LED lighting signatures, as well as a monochromatic logo and a light-up crest (both of which Cadillac Society was first to report). The automaker also says that the Cadillac Lyriq will offer a “choreographed lighting sequence” to greet the driver as they approach, with various settings for the driver seat, mirrors, and climate control adjusted to match their preferences.
The Cadillac Lyriq is based on the next-generation BEV 3 platform, and will arrive as a D-segment all-electric crossover. Sizing is said to be between the Cadillac XT5 and Cadillac XT6.
Providing the juice is the brand’s latest Ultium battery technology, with the battery packs integrated directly with the structure of the vehicle to enhance the overall ride, handling, and safety. The batteries use an NCMA (nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum) chemistry and pack in 100 kWh of energy. Cadillac also claims a near 50/50 weight distribution for a “vehicle that’s sporty, responsive and allows for spirited driving”
Range-per-charge is rated at more than 300 miles based on internal testing. Drivers will have multiple charging options at their disposal, including DC fast charging rates over 150 kW, as well as Level 2 charging rates up to 19 kW.
The Cadillac Lyriq comes with RWD as standard, placing the drive motor in the rear, but AWD will be offered, adding an additional drive motor up front.
The cabin is dominated by a 33-inch LED display, which is similar in layout to the digital display in the all-new 2021 Cadillac Escalade. However, the screen in the Lyriq uses different technology than the OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen in the new Escalade.
Speaking of technology, the Cadillac Lyriq will also come equipped with the semi-autonomous Super Cruise driver assist system, a 19-speaker AKG Studio stereo with noise cancellation, and a dual-plane augmented reality-enhanced head-up display.
Meanwhile, the Lyriq show car gets a Remote Self-Parking, which is not expected to make it to production.
The Cadillac Lyriq will go on sale late in the 2022 calendar year for the 2023 model year. Production is expected to take place at the Detroit-Hamtramck facility in Michigan.
What do you think about the new Cadillac Lyriq? Let us know in the comments, and subscribe to Cadillac Society for around-the-clock Cadillac news coverage.
Greg
Very Good!
Kudos to the Designers, overall. Surface detailing looks very good, assuming the sheet metal of this show car is production.
Not sure what I think of the “grille”, but there’s no mistaking it, or the rear, as being anything but a Cadillac.
My new prayer over the next 2 years is that the production interior is DAMN CLOSE to the one pictured here.
2 years……
Charles Chips
Price please.
Greg
Oh they won’t release price info until a few months from production.
LLK
Better late than never I guess.
Greg
No automaker announces pricing 2 years ahead of production. Too much can happen. If you saw the reveal though, one of the engineers said that customers expected pricing to be on par with ICE vehicles. That’s a very broad statement, but it gives me the impression that pricing will be close to similar-size vehicles in the market segment. Maybe a bit higher. Just a guess.
LLK
No, you missed my point. It’s going to take TWO YEARS before this is in production! Kinda’ late given how rapidly the market and tech is moving in this segment. If it were in production NOW it would be a big deal. Who cares about price.
Greg
Ooops. Sorry. My apologies.
Greg
Looking at the videos, the proportions are super. RWD type dash-axle and a lowish roof line make for a very poised and kinetic stance. Again, here’s hoping the production version retains all this.
Alan Saldana
It is a stunning car, but the more I look at the back I think there is too much going on. I hope they edit the back a little. I think this is going to be in the $60k – $70k range.
Frank Ricciardi
The Lyriq is STUNNING !!! why does it have to be electric ?????????
Greg
@Frank:
Your first sentence almost surprises me. I’m glad you like the design of Lyriq.
I hope your regard of electrics improves over time. Perhaps when the Lyriq is (finally) available at a dealer you’ll drive one and consider the advantages vs. drawbacks.
Charles Chips
Lets talk about the advantages vs drawbacks of electric cars and ICE cars.
I will start with drawbacks.
COST: both to purchase and repair.
REPAIRS: Mechanics will be have to be retrained to be electricians.
CONVEINENCE: How long will it take to have recharging stations as plentiful as gas stations. Oh yes. How are the recharging stations going to be powered?
Greg
COST: Purchase price?: Maybe. But not having to buy gasoline all the time certainly compensates.
How do you know what repair costs are? Do you own an electric car? The factory warranty will cover the first several years, anyway.
Repairs: Mechanics a trained and re-trained on lots of different things all the time. Your remark is silly.
Convenience: Ask a Tesla owner. They have no trouble. They manage to drive long distances too.
Good bye Mr. Chips.
Charles Chips
-As it stands now. Gasoline is much more readily available then electric charging stations.
-From what I read. Repairs of an electric cars “power plant” is much more then today’s ICE cars.
-Silly? I think not. The knonwledge of working on an electric car is so much different and complex then todays ICE. Its the difference as it was in the past when we went from horse and buggy to ICE cars.
-I prefer having the assurance of knowing that my ICE will always be in the range of a gas station. Not so much with an electric car.
Lets not lose sight of the fact that we are talking about a whole new way of powering cars. Yes there have been electric cars in the past. We also had a car that would run on water. The Stanley Steamer. What we are now talking about is a whole new way of thinking prompted by the new green deal to save the planet and take us off fossil fuel. Right now. The cost of electric cars is for intents and purposes in the luxury car price point. Not many of our population, percentage wise is going to be willing to or able to afford one.
Oh yes one other thing. It will be interesting to see how the oil companies are going to deal with this transition. Remember how the tire companies, oil companies and auto manufacturer GM, conspired to rid Los Angeles for electric street cars?
Paul Chong
American Dream car.