With first deliveries of the ELR slated for January 2014, Cadillac has released a spec sheet of the 2014 ELR plug-in coupe.
Compared to the Chevrolet Volt, its relative, the ELR’s 0-60 time jumps from the Volt’s 8.8 seconds to 7.8 seconds, but only while utilizing the 1.4 liter range extending engine. When under full electric power, the time remains the same as the Volt’s. The Cadillac is a little faster at the top end too, up from the Volts 101 mph top speed to 106 mph.
Electric range stays about the same, just down from the Volt’s 38 miles to 37 miles for the ELR. Interestingly, possibly due to the increase in weight, total range is down to 345 miles, from the 379 mile range claimed for the Volt. Combined fuel economy is also down from the Volt’s, a claimed 33 mpg from 37 mpg.
Worth the jump in price? We’ll let you be the judge after viewing the spec sheet over at Inside EV’s. For some, it might be a small price to pay for arguably the best looking PHEV currently on sale, it also has electronically sliding cup holder cover, so there’s that.
Comments
It is not a car you buy for saving money.
If you want to go green and do it in style you have your car. This is not a car for everyone and will sell in modest numbers but it will help drive the build and investment in better parts that will improve all parameters.
GM could have taken the easy way out and just installed a larger battery like the Tesla but they are trying to offer a car with a different appeal and was developed before anyone thought a large expensive battery only car would have sold.
I expect GM to take a car and plug in a volt like electric motor system and a large battery in a larger Cadillac sedan. It would not take much to do it and with a nation wide dealer net work and strong sales in California they should be able to move 50,000 of them.
I just wish they offered a ELR with a 2.0 Turbo and about 300 HP in gas only.
scott, do you mean offering the ELR in a gas engine only option? If that’s what you’re saying, which it looks to be, I’m all for it. That would be awesome, makes up for the loss of the Eldorado or CTS coupe.
Yes the car has the Cruze and Verano platform under it so a gas engine would be very easy to do. Tune the suspension up and adapt space for the 2.0 Turbo and you would have a nice $35K entry car for young buyers.
With 300 HP this car would rock and the styling would sell it. Still sell the Voltec version but also offer this car to those of us who really would love to have a car like this but no electric drivetrain. The styling is so good it would be a waste to not make it more easily affordable in a Gas powered version under the ATS.
Cadillac will need more small cars in the future and this is one that would establish them in the segment.
Compere the styling on the ELR to the BMW 1 series and tell me which one you would like to see in your garage.
Dear GM, please turn this car into a Tesla Killer.
So much potential, but I just don’t think it’ll sell with those specs. We may be looking at another XLR. I really hope I’m wrong. With all that Cadillac has been doing right, it really can’t afford to have any momentum taken away by a lackluster product. Some may argue that the XTS is a lackluster product, but it’s definitely not as high profile as this one.
Green folks won’t buy it because they only care about being/looking green, and Volt along with other hybrids already takes care of them.
Drivers won’t buy it because frankly, it’s a Chevrolet Volt. They’ll get a “real” car or they’ll get a Tesla.
Rich folk probably won’t buy it because it’s a Cadillac and right now Tesla is the trend king for the rich folk, especially here in California.
I want to see this succeed, but I just don’t see it being that much of a success with that powertrain. The next gen CTS Coupe and ATS Coupe can’t come soon enough.
How embarrassing will it be for a Cadillac ELR driver to come up to the lights against a Chevy Spark EV driver, and then to get “smoked” by the Spark. Well maybe not smoked, but Spark EV is supposed to do 0-60 in 7.6 seconds.lol
The ELR driver just as to follow the Spark driver for a while and ask him if he needs a ride home when he runs out of spark for his Spark. LOL!
This I not a performance car and it is here just to leverage out more sales of the Voltec system. With the ELR they can do that at lower volumes with the price they are charging.
I think what gets lost here is this is not just an electric car and it is not just a gas car as too many people want to split this into one or the other segment. It is a true hybrid of a hybrid.
The whole concept of this system was to find a way to sell a electric car to the normal driver and to someone who only wants one car. The facts are the Tesla is not a car that most people who own it is there only car. It often is just a around town play toy and when they travel or do not have enough charge they jump into their Envoy or their Benz and go. While some want to think it the Tesla is not going to save trees or save the planet. At least not with what they are selling now. That could change if they survive long enough to advanced batteries that are better but that is out of Elons hands hence he is trying to change them faster.
I would expect to see a full battery Cadillac at some point that will match or beat the Tesla range and performance as GM as all they need to do that now. The electronic drives they have are more efficient and all they need to do is take a ATS platform add a larger battery and use the Voltec drive less the gas engine.
I believe GM could beat them on weight and range very easily. Why did GM not do this before? Well like everyone else no on in the industry though anyone would pay that much for a battery powered limited use car. Tesla exposed a market mostly in California but exposed it all the same. GM has already made known they have taken note and I would not be surprise to see models coming. Also take note BMW and others also have noticed so Elon had better keep up in good marketing on the web as he is in for competition from people with nation wide dealers and service with deeper pockets than even he has.
So you believe – say, a $65,000 Cruze Coupe, with a back seat that basically
is only good for young children at best, and a wedgy, sexy body is a good idea?
As you know, Volt is based on the Cruze platform – as is ELR.
Minus $8-10,000 for the battery pack – skip the 1.4L EcoTec ( caste-iron block )
that’s currently in ELR and swap in an ATS engine…In fact, $65,000 may not
cut it. Let’s say your ICE version of ELR with an ATS powerplant comes in
at $70,000 – is a 2 Seat Cruise with nicer struts worth that?
Cadillac has make quite a few duds over the years – think of Cimmaron,
XLR and Allante. They didn’t give Cadillac a boost in image nor sell in any
numbers that would justify their cost in development.
All my 50+ years of life, I’ve been a car guy. You see the oddball models
that manufacturer’s sometimes get passed the beancounters – and many
times they just flop because they’re coddled together pieces that really
don’t make any sense. ELR is just that car. Like the Chrysler Crossfire,
it’s an orphan that won’t sell in any volume to justify the cost in R&D it
took to create. It’s not going to sell in any volume to offset battery costs
over at the Michigan LG battery plant because it won’t sell half as many
as the Chevrolet division sells Corvettes. It’s a white elephant right out of
the gate. A gas version would be even more of a joke because it would
perform lousey compared to any ATS iteration and cost much more.
ELR’s only plus for some elite green types is it’s green cred being an EREV.
I think the people that buy one will end up loving it! Just like the volt owners that love theirs!
As a new Volt owner, right on Brian. I couldn’t be happier and I am a BMW and ex-Mercedes. This is a fantastically well engineered car. It seats 4 Canadian sized adults and at this stage having owned it a month, I have used a 1/2 tank of gas.
It might be a honeymoon but I bought this car after a considerable amount of research, more than any other car I bought previously including opinions from 2 longer term volt owners. The electric/gas combo means that I don’t have range anxiety. The performance and finish have impressed all who have had a ride in it.
@ Peter – Right on. I love my Volt and that’s why ELR just doesn’t make ANY sense. We all
felt ELR would be “Voltec 1.5” – with an increase in capability and perhaps a different
range-extender, like one with an aluminum block.
Turns out, ELR is a big disappointment….That it’s batteries’ C-rating is the same as our
Volt’s – meaning the gas engine has to kick in for it to beat the Volt’s 8.8 sec 0-60 time
despite the performance programming changes made for ELR. So GM says ELR’s
0-60 time all-electric is the same as Volt’s but it’s aero drag Cd is higher and it weighs
more, but holds less occupants! Gas ( extended-range ) mode goes down from Volt
from 37 to 33mpg as does All-Electric-Range. So is this beautiful leather, stitching and CUE
( with adj paddle regen and improved struts with stiffer springs ) worth $78,000?!!!
HARDLY.
Only to a very few. GM made statements a few days ago that pulled back expectations
for ELR even more. Previously they’d said it was a “limited edition” vehicle. Today,
they’re saying 3,000 units sold per year is the goal!!! Whoa! That’s a WHOLE LOT OF
R&D money for such a tiny return!!!
Again, GM made more statements:
“It’s really meant to be a design and technology statement for the brand,” said Pam Fletcher,
executive chief engineer for GM’s electrified vehicles. about ELR.
So what are we supposed to take away from all of this? Will 2nd gen Volt ever come to fruition?
If so- does this underperforming Voltec iteration ( GM sometimes calls ELR “Voltec, sometimes, not )
reveal that GM is not really developing a better Volt to come out in one or two years?
These are some pretty good questions nearly everybody is going to start asking VERY SOON…
I will say the ELR is a great looking car with a quality interior on par with Lexus,
Infiniti and the like – perhaps even a little better.
It’s larger ( longer and wider ) than Volt but on the same 1st gen Cruze platform.
Being larger, it holds less than Volt.
I think this car sends a message alright – but probably not the message Pam
Fletcher and GM want it to. That of – “Voltec is done”, Mr. Lutz’s pet ELR is out
and our promises fulfilled – back to making Escalades and Tahoes for big
profit folks!”