The Chevrolet Volt-based Cadillac ELR was a done deal before Johan de Nysschen came to the automaker from Infiniti, so he’s not responsible for the vehicles positioning (read: price) in the market. With only 1,037 sold through October 2014, it stands to reason that the cost of entry is problematic to sales, not to mention the 2016 revamp was missing from the Los Angeles Auto Show. Auto World News presented some thoughts on the ELR straight from the Cadillac boss.
If Cadillac presented its EV technology first in the ELR instead of the Volt, and presented the ELR as a luxurious EV competitor to the Tesla Model S that could get home without relying on an electrical infrastructure, then perhaps the ELR’s price wouldn’t seem out of line. de Nysschen says there is over $30,000 worth of technology and equipment value in the ELR − a luxurious Cadillac unto itself, which doesn’t come cheap besides − that the Tesla Model S cannot offer.
So what about lowering the price anyway?
“With all that said, if we were to reprice ELR, to the point where somehow we found a point that people would buy it buy the thousands, then all we would achieve is, the more cars you sell, the more money you lose. There’s no point in that. It is where it is.”
Still, Cadillac not only plans (and needs, according to de Nysschen) an ELR successor, but it also needs more vehicles of the ELR’s caliber. “They will be part of our future,” adds de Nysschen. “It is clearly going to be a niche car.”
He also is diplomatic about the marketing folks who were responsible for the ELR. “I don’t think our dealer network is yet of the mental paradigm to sell cars of that ilk. I shouldn’t just blame the dealers; it’s our own sales and marketing people as well.”
Comments
He is giving a painful but honest assessment.
“de Nysschen says there is over $30,000 worth of technology and equipment value in the ELR − a luxurious Cadillac unto itself, which doesn’t come cheap besides − that the Tesla Model S cannot offer.”
And what exactly is that magic tech that the Tesla doesn’t offer?
Car people and people who have little interest in cars are very well aware of Tesla and have a high level of interest to own one. By contrast, the general population don’t even know that this car exists and those who do couldn’t care less. Sales obviously reflect this. This entire program is a monumental failure.
DenMor; ELR is very good car, but Cadillac must wait 3 years before launch a car like this.
GM has precipitated with this car; It would be nice to GM manufactures a 5-door ELR, that if it was a car with good sales.
Regards from Spain
30g’s worth of techno !? What does the ELR offer that is that much difference than the Volt ? More leather , maybe a Cadillac Emblem on the grill or ambient lighting ? Every body knows it is ( dare I say it ) OVERPRICED .
It’s a nice car, but I really don’t think it’s worth all that money for what you’re getting. The electric range isn’t very long, and the gasoline engine isn’t very powerful, and isn’t efficient enough to compensate for that lack of power. Not to mention the fact that the ELR is built on the same FWD platform as the Chevy Cruze and doesn’t have the same fun to drive factor as the CTS or the ATS and you have a recipe for disaster. I will say that the designers did an excellent job on the exterior and interior styling, especially the materials.
based on the comments, Johan was right– marketing did a terrible job of telling people what this car has that makes it worth $30k more than a Volt. It’s odd that car enthusiasts don’t even know. Whatever it was, why is it a secret?