First Cadillac Optiq On-The-Road Photos Surface

Since its debut in the U.S. and China back in November, the all-electric Cadillac Optiq has been a bit of a rarity. While the luxury marque released a few photos of the Optiq during its reveal, we haven’t been able to get a good look at the new luxury electric crossover in the real world aside from heavily camouflaged prototypes. But now, Cadillac Society spotted one in full view being tested out on public roads.

This 2024 Cadillac Optiq was undergoing testing in Michigan, and – judging by the salt and grime on its lower door panels and hide – has seen some adverse weather conditions. Under the dirt, the model is finished in a metallic gray color, and appears to be almost production-ready, save for some tape on its exterior, which was used to hold the tarp-like camouflage that has since been removed. The model appears to be an Optiq Sport trim, since it features dark exterior accents and a notable lack of chrome elements.

Up front, the Optiq’s front fascia sports familiar design cues, including thin upper lighting signatures up front, paired with large vertical lighting elements on either side of the faux “grille.” The vertical headlights are positioned inside these lighting strips, drawing the eye inward to the five-point crest-shaped grille, which is reminiscent of the Caddy emblem itself. The lowermost section of the bumper is finished in black around the large lower intakes.  

This is also the first time we’ve been able to see the Optiq’s unique rear quarter window in natural lighting. It features a series of slanted, quasi-horizontal lines whose purpose seems to complement the downward slant of its rear end and liftgate, while conveying a sense of forward motion. These lines even match up with the inner graphics in the upper taillights. The beltline is pinched slightly upward over the Optiq’s rear wheels before it slopes gently downward toward the vehicle’s somewhat blunt rear end. 

Note that the lights on the the tail end of the Cadillac Optiq featires multiple tiers of lights, with a large, vertically oriented center stop lamp placed in the rear spoiler, and two sets of vertical lights along the either side of the rear hatch. Note that this Cadillac Optiq sports Chinese badging on the liftgate, meaning this one is representative of the Chinese-spec model.

Set to slot under the Lyriq in Cadillac’s ever-expanding battery electric vehicle lineup, the Optiq rides on a variant of the BEV3 platform, which currently underpins the Lyriq as well as the Celestiq ultra luxury sedan. However, we expect it to be available with either rear- or optional all-wheel-drive. Thus far, Cadillac has kept most details regarding the Optiq close to the vest, including its powertrain figures and pricing.

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