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The Cadillac Lyriq Was Designed To Perform: Video

While the Cadillac Lyriq show car is just that – a vehicle designed for show only, it’s still 80-85 percent representative of the finished production model that will go on sale in late 2022. That means that the battery packaging, dimensions, exterior styling/aerodynamics and other important aspects won’t change very much from this show version to the production version.

As such, Cadillac powertrain and chassis engineers were very much a part of the conversation when designing the Cadillac Lyriq show car. In a new clip released as part of Cadillac’s new online video series on the Lyriq, General Motors engineers explain the approach they took for the Lyriq, which is the brand’s first-ever EV, and how developing an EV presents unique challenges versus an internal combustion engine vehicle.

“You spend years at drafting tables, in conference rooms, at computers, math modeling and clay, to get the vehicle to the point where you actually sit behind the wheel and drive it,” Cadillac Lyriq chief engineer Jamie Brewer says in the video, before going onto explain how the Lyriq’s rather heavy battery will actually give it better handling.

“The battery pack is tied into the underbody to help stiffen the vehicle such that your handling, your steering feel, your responsiveness is going to be quick. That combined with a nice ride stance in the vehicle is going to give you a great road-hugging experience around the corners.”

Engineers also explain in the video how the electric powertrain in the Lyriq allows them to easily offer a  large variety of powertrain options and arrangements.

Cadillac Lyriq RWD BEV platform

“The fundamental architecture of Lyriq is rear-wheel-drive, and then Lyriq goes a step further with a performance all-wheel-drive option that offers another drive unit in the front end of the vehicle,” another engineer explains. “The electric propulsion system really opens up a lot of windows for us to offer a wide variety of range and performance options.”

As GM said when the Cadillac Lyriq first debuted, base models and lesser versions will come with rear-wheel-drive, while a performance all-wheel-drive version will also be on offer. As we can see from the two photos here, the RWD Lyriq will have a rear-mounted electric motor only, while AWD versions get a second motor up front as well.

Cadillac Lyriq AWD BEV3 platform

There are other important factors to consider when engineering an EV for maximum range and performance, too, such as aerodynamics, charge rate and more. We won’t spoil the video for you, though, so hear what else the Cadillac Lyriq team has to say about the EV’s performance in the video embedded below.

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Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. gm stock is up 8% on wall street’s push to divorce ICE and EV businesses.

    Reply
  2. Waiter, there’s a long hair in my clay!

    Reply
  3. The $200K price for Cadillac’s Lyriq is like a wet blanket as how many people can afford to pay such a sum given that there will be alternatives that cost less.. buy a Tesla that cost $90K or a Tesla EV truck for $40K; Cadillac’s Lyriq looks great except it has a price that few can afford.

    Reply
    1. What drugs are you smoking?? The Lyriq is starting at about $60,000! You are talking about the handmade Cadillac that has never been shown.

      Reply
    2. Dear Omegalton,
      False. Reports say the Lyriq will start with a 5 in front of it, the $50,000 to 59,999 range.

      Reply
  4. It actually looks better without the body, has that RC look to it!

    Reply
    1. That is what an EV is: a full sized R/C , not a glorified golf cart anymore. EVs can travel anywhere (even in the vacuum of space – ask Elon Musk), and extremely fast, such as the electric Mustang that passed 210 MPH. I am interested in this Lyriq because it has the four factors that makes it ideal: American made, electric, a crossover size, and luxury. No other car in the world has all four factors!

      Reply
  5. Question to GM designers: Why do you put these fake, ridiculously oversized brake ducts in the front air dam? GM isn’t the only one doing this as this seems to be a trend in the industry and IMO, it looks terrible. As for the rest of the vehicle, it looks good especially the show car interior. Hopefully, the introduced version will maintain as much of that interior as possible.

    Reply
  6. I have no idea why GM puts out videos like this with ZERO INFORMATION….

    Unless it is to provide the Auto Pavorazzi with some fodder…. Almost everyone, and certainly any potential buyers, know how EV 4 wheel drive works, as well as a low center-of-gravity.

    Reply
  7. Make it look nice, so we can overprice, that’s been GM’S strategy lately. I’m sure this thing will price out over $60,000. Drink whatever Kool-Aid you want it’s not going to start at 50 grand.

    Reply

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