Cadillac is transitioning to an electric-only brand and that process is underway as the company has unveiled the 2023 Lyriq. Previewed by last year’s thinly-veiled concept, the production model is the “culmination of a century of innovation and the beginning of a great new era.” As you can see, the 2023 Lyriq closely echoes the concept as it features a black crystal grille with an illuminated emblem as well as lights that activate in choreographed sequences. The model also has “slim-line” LED headlights and a lightly revised front bumper.
Moving further back, we can see
flush-mounted door handles and conventional side mirrors. While the latter is a
change from the concept, the production model retains distinctive taillights
which wraparound the side of the vehicle and continue up the rear pillar. The
model also comes standard with 20-inch wheels, but 22-inchers will be optional.
The Lyriq measures 4996 mm long, 1977 mm wide and 1623 mm tall with a wheelbase that spans 3094 mm.
This means it’s 46 mm shorter than the XT6, but offers a 231 mm longer wheelbase.
Cadillac interiors have left something to
be desired, but the 2021 Escalade showed what the company was capable of. The
Lyriq builds on that by featuring a cabin worthy of the wreathless crest.
Drivers sit behind an all-new steering wheel and find themselves looking at a
freestanding display which spans 838 mm. Unlike in the Escalade, this
display appears continuous and Cadillac noted it can show over one billion
colors.
Elsewhere, we can see a floating center
console and slender air vents. The model also has laser etched wood and metal
trim as well as a 19-speaker AKG Studio system. Cadillac also said drivers will
find digital key technology and a next-generation active noise cancellation
system.Besides featuring an upscale design, the cabin is spacious as there’s 1006 mm of rear seat legroom. The model also has a cargo capacity
of 793 liters, but that can be expanded to 1723 liters by folding the rear seats down.
The spec sheet includes a 340 hp electric
motor, over 300 miles range At launch, the Lyriq will feature a 100 kWh
lithium-ion battery pack and a rear-mounted electric motor that produces an
estimated 340 hp and 440 Nm of torque. Cadillac
didn’t say how fast the crossover will be, but noted it should be able to
travel more than 483 km on a single charge. When it comes time to
recharge, owners will be thankful for the Lyriq’s 190 kW DC fast charging
capability. It enables the crossover to get up to 76 miles (122 km) of range in
10 minutes and up to 314 km in 30 minutes.
However, most charging is done at home and
this is where a 19.2 kW charging module shines as it can deliver up to 84 km of range per hour. Owners can also use a 11.5 kW charger and this
delivers approximately 50 km of range per hour. With a 120V outlet,
that drops to 5.6 km per hour.
While the Lyriq will be rear-wheel drive
only at launch, Cadillac officials confirmed additional variants are on the
horizon. They didn’t go into specifics, but said we can expect all-wheel drive
and all-wheel drive performance models in the future. Speaking of performance,
the Lyriq will offer one-pedal driving as well as variable Regen on Demand
technology. The latter allows drivers to use a pressure-sensitive paddle on the
steering wheel to control how quickly the vehicle slows down or comes to a
stop. The model will also be offered with the Super Cruise semi-autonomous
driving system, which allows for hands-free operation on more than 321,869 km of roadway in the United States and Canada.
Cadillac will begin accepting reservations
in September and pricing will begin at US$ 59,990. The Lyriq will be built in
Spring Hill, Tennessee and deliveries are slated to begin in the first half of
2022. It will be followed by an assortment of other electric vehicles as
Cadillac is set to phase out internal combustion engines by 2030. While a
number of people will be sad to see them go, Cadillac’s next EV will be the
Celestiq and it’s certainly something to look forward too.
