The Cadillac Lyriq SUV, Cadillac’s first foray into the luxury electric car market, has a sleek design and a contemporary interior. Cadillac claims that its new SUV will be available in single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive configurations, with a range of more than 300 miles. The Lyriq was built from the ground up and will use GM’s new scalable battery architecture; the business says that the specialized EV architecture provides a low center of gravity and a roomy interior. The Lyriq is expected to go on sale in early 2022 as a 2023 model.

On September 18, General Motors will begin accepting reservations for its forthcoming Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV.

The price of the car will begin at $58,795.

Many automakers have moved to a reservation scheme when releasing a new electric car due to the high demand for appealing new electric vehicles.

It aids in the creation of a backlog of orders and provides insight into potential areas of increased demand for the vehicle.

For the impending introduction of the Cadillac Lyriq, GM has opted to adopt a reservation model.

The carmaker said last week that bookings will begin on September 18.

GM wrote:

“This is the spark. The dawn of a bright new era. Our electric future, rooted in more than a century of innovation, begins with an uncompromising electric SUV. Meet the Cadillac LYRIQ. An EV that inspires its driver to charge forward to a greater purpose—with every sublime detail. Prepare yourself for our newest creation.”

The Cadillac Lyriq is significant because it will be the first new GM EV to use the Ultium powertrain architecture, following the GMC Hummer EV.

The Hummer EV pickup truck will be the first to be delivered, with low-volume manufacturing scheduled to begin by the end of the year, followed by the first Cadillac Lyriq electric SUVs in the first half of 2022.

The Hummer EV, on the other hand, is a huge electric pickup with a beginning price of over $100,000, while the Lyriq is a more affordable electric SUV with a starting price of around $60,000.

GM claims it will keep the starting price around $60,000, and those reservations for a model with a $58,795 MSRP will be available.

That’s amazing given the Cadillac Lyriq will be outfitted with a 100 kWh battery pack that will provide a range of over 300 miles.

The cheapest model, however, lacks the dual-motor all-wheel-drive technology that has become standard in many electric SUVs. It will be a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, with an all-wheel-drive option available in the future.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Lyriq will be available in rear-wheel drive with an electric motor on the rear axle as standard; all-wheel drive will be available as an option and will add a second motor to drive the front wheels. So far, Cadillac has remained tight-lipped regarding the Lyriq’s all-wheel-drive motor, so we don’t know how much horsepower it will produce; the rear-wheel-drive variant is rated at 340 horsepower. Because of the instantaneous nature of an electric motor’s power supply, acceleration will be quick in any case, at least at lower speeds. During our testing, the I-Pace, for example, accelerated to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds; we expect the Lyriq to perform similarly.

Cadillac has only released the Lyriq’s basic price, which is a tempting $59,995, so we’re speculating on pricing for the Lyriq’s higher trim levels. Closer to the crossover’s on-sale date, we anticipate hearing more about the Cadillac Lyriq range and its many standard and optional features.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

With the Cadillac Lyriq, GM is introducing Ultium, a new series of electric vehicle batteries. The scalable technology allows the carmaker to build batteries with capacities ranging from 50.0 kWh to 200 kWh, with the greatest size designated for huge EV pickup trucks like the forthcoming GMC Hummer EV SUT. The Lyriq, according to Cadillac, will have a battery capacity of over 100 kWh and should be capable of driving ranges of more than 300 miles per charge. The Lyriq will come with DC fast charging as standard, but it will also be able to charge from household power outlets.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

However, we anticipate Cadillac to equip it with a slew of driver-assistance technologies, including the brand’s Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology, which will be available as well. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites for additional information on Lyriq’s crash-test results. The following are expected to be important safety features:

  • Pedestrian recognition and standard automatic emergency braking,
  • Lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist are also available,
  • Adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode is available.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Cadillac Lyriq, like the similarly sized Cadillac XT5 and XT6 SUVs, will come with a powertrain warranty that surpasses that of other high-end people movers. Cadillac presently covers the initial dealer maintenance visit, while competitors such as the Jaguar I-Pace provide free maintenance for extended periods of time. We expect the Lyriq’s battery warranty to be the same as the Chevy Bolt’s, which is 8 years or 100,000 miles.

  • A four-year or 50,000-mile limited warranty is included.
  • 6 years or 70,000 miles on the powertrain warranty
  • The initial visit is covered by complimentary maintenance.

What’s New for 2023?

Not only is the Cadillac Lyriq a new nameplate for Cadillac, but it’s also the brand’s first all-electric vehicle. It will compete with heavy hitters like the Audi e-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X when it goes on sale.