The all-electric 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is on its way, and will debut by the end of the 2023 calendar year. Cadillac Society has already spotted a prototype of the electric luxury SUV undergoing testing, hot on the heels of a teaser released by the luxury marque itself. With the debut of the Escalade IQ on the horizon in August, we’re compiling what we know so far about the electric Escalade.
Model Range
We expect that the 2025 Escalade IQ will be offered in a similar Y trim level structure as the 2024 Lyriq, which includes Tech as the base, followed by Premium Luxury and Sport. Platinum versions of the Premium Luxury and Sport trims should be present and accounted for, as better equipped versions of the respective trim level. And, as evidenced by trademark filings uncovered by Cadillac Society back in late 2021, an extended-length variant, known as the Escalade IQL, will also be offered alongside the regular-length Escalade.
We also expect a Cadillac Escalade IQ-V to join the lineup at some point in the future, though not at the model’s initial launch. Such a model will feature a more robust and powerful drivetrain, harnessing as many as three powerful electric motors for maximum performance, along with suspension and braking system upgrades and sporty styling bits.
Exterior
The exterior of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will represent a significant departure from the current model. For starters, the vehicle’s overall footprint will be quite different from that of the current Escalade powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE), while still maintaining a generally upright and boxy aesthetic. The prototype we spied earlier this year featured a lower ride height than its internal combustion-engined variant, with a shorter vertical distance between the ground and the rocker panels. Additionally, the profile has a very different aesthetic than the regular model, with a more elongated hood and a squatter greenhouse.
The front end will feature a similar aesthetic to that of the Cadillac Lyriq, with a set of vertical light strips that are also found on the Lyriq as well as on the current ICE-powered Escalade. Like on the Lyriq, the vertical lights on the Escalade IQ will be arranged in two layers, with the outer layer serving as the daytime running lights (DRLs) and the inner layer being the primary forward lights. The turn signals will be within a narrow horizontal lighting element above the vertical lights.
Out back, the Escalade IQ will feature the vertical lighting signatures that have adorned all generations of the Escalade except for the first-generation model.
Interior
The interior of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will feature a three-row seating configuration, and will be just as roomy, if not roomier, than the current ICE Escalade. We expect both seven- and eight-passenger seating configurations, with the middle row available in either a three-passenger bench seat or two captain’s chairs.
The cockpit will feature a generous coast-to-coast infotainment screen, much like the one found in the refreshed 2024 Cadillac XT4 and Cadillac Lyriq. This system will facilitate cutting edge technology, such as Ultra Cruise, the luxury marque’s advanced autonomous driving system capable of handling up to 95 percent of on-the-road scenarios.
The Escalade IQ will borrow many elements of the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq’s cockpit, pictured here
Powertrain
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will feature Ultium batteries and Ultium Drive motors. It’s likely that rear-wheel-drive via a single motor mounted on the rear axle will be standard. Adding a second motor to the front axle will facilitate all-wheel-drive. As first reported by Cadillac Society, engineers are aiming to deliver a driving range upwards of 400 miles from a single charge.
Meanwhile, the high-performance Escalade IQ-V will likely feature a three-motor configuration, at a cost of driving range.
Platform
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will ride on the BT1 platform, which is tailor made to underpin electric sport utility vehicles as well as pickup trucks. The Escalade IQ will be the first Cadillac to utilize this platform.
Launch
The Cadillac Escalade IQ is expected to launch in 2024 as a 2025 model year vehicle. We believe it will be available globally, including in North America, China, along with select global export markets. It will be unveiled in full on August 9th, 2023.
Pricing
We expect the MSRP of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ to start at approximately $100,000 in the U.S.
Production
The Cadillac Detroit-Hamtramck plant, also known as Factory Zero, will be responsible for producing the Escalade IQ. It’s possible that a plant in China will also product the vehicle for the domestic market.
Spy Shots
Cadillac Society spotted the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ undergoing testing back in May 2023.
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