General Motors unveiled the all-new, all-electric 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ earlier this month, pulling the wrapper on a tech-heavy SUV loaded to the brim with luxury. To complement its tall, utility vehicle stance, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ incorporates a set of assist steps, which aid with ingress and egress. That said, the all-electric Escalade doesn’t include power-deployable boards, offering fixed units instead. GM Authority found out why.
In a recent interview with GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft, Escalade IQ aerodynamics engineer Chenxing Yu addressed why the all-electric SUV offers fixed running boards (or assist steps), as opposed to power-deployable boards.
According to Yu, the decision came down to vehicle architecture, but included several other factors as well. For example, the fixed boards were actually a more optimal shape for vehicle aerodynamics, a particularly important feature for efficiency when it comes to all-electric vehicles. Additionally, power-deployable boards would not be large enough to fit a foot, reducing usability when it comes to ingress and egress. Finally, there was an additional consideration to be made in finding the right balance between form and function.
Notably, when the doors on the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ are closed, the steps are not flush with the body, but rather stick out a little bit from under the doors, as see in a recent GM Authority real world photo:
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ isn’t alone when it comes to offering fixed running boards rather than power-retractable units – in fact, there’s currently no GM electric vehicle that offers power retractable running boards, as GM Authority covered previously. Not that there aren’t viable candidates, either, with the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and Hummer EV SUV, as well as the Chevy Silverado EV all looking like solid contenders when it comes to offering this relatively simple luxury feature.
As a reminder, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will be produced at the GM Factory Zero plant in Michigan starting next summer.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac Escalade IQ news, Cadillac news, GM electric vehicle news, GM technology news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Leave them fixed. I have read that other brands had problems with mechanical boards. My Chevy Equinox has fixed boards and they look good. Simpler is better!
It appears that gm copied the idea of a fixed running board from the Dodge Caravan which has fixed running boards for decades. What clever idea?
Who needs a running board to get into a Caravan?
My 07 Escalade had Electric running boards as does my 21 Escalade. I never had any problems with them and makes the car look better and separates them from “Dodge Caravans and others” . My 2020 Silverado does not have them, sure wish it did. The retracking ones seem to keep cleaner also.
This is what the SUV trend has come to: fixed running boards like on my grandfather’s first several cars. What’s next, rumble seats? Passengers above the frame rather than between the rails? At least it won’t be L-head and F-head ICEs.
Good comment on L- head and F- head valve arrangements. But I don’t think many readers would know what F-head valves are. I think that the latest user of an F-head valve arrangement was Rolls Royce in the early 50’swhere they used a valve in the cylinder head (overhead valve) for the intake and a valve in the cylinder block (valve in block) for the exhaust. Strange arrangement in an attempt to take advantage of the benefits of an OHV while keeping the old side valve arrangement of the L-head with valves in the cylinder block.
Yeah, I was being obscure. Chrysler still had flathead sixes until the Slant Six debuted for the 1960 model year.
But I still think we’re going in the direction of tall old cars. Longer, lower, wider–we’ll miss you. We had a good run.
I see a lot of vehicles with the power running boards not functioning properly and they are down while driving. I see it across several manufacturers, most commonly Lincoln and Ford but have seen it on GM vehicles as well.
They might be down because of driver error. Example, some cars have either switches or settings that might be on the wrong setting. Just Sayin’
Could it be that fixed running boards are less expensive?
Well, we’ll see because more than likely, there will be Level 3 with more opulent interior and could have a Platinum package. So the retractable boards could be an option on this vehicle.
Also not as much room for retractable running boards with the wider and taller frame due to the battery. If you look at a prototype Silverado EV without the boards you will see the frame from the side. That is what you would see with retractable boards. Better and simpler with the fixed steps.
I think Ryan’s explanation (hide the frame) is best. My 2012 Avalanche had retractable boards and one of their selling points was that they were a “whole foot step” rather than a “toe step” with fixed.
I think fixed is better. My RAM Promaster Class C motorhome has 2 step powered at rear door which I had to fix a few times and finally it quit half way down so I just use it that way like a ladder instead of steps. At the passenger door I bolted on a fixed 2×12 which is wide enough for my wife to stand on getting in and out. I’m thinking of bolting a 2×12 step on my new Lyriq to make it easier for my 5’2″ wife to get up to the seat. The Lyriq seat is a little high but also 12″ in from the door sill.