A traditional resistive heater consumes a lot of energy, which is why a heat pump is such a valuable feature in an EV. By drawing and transferring ambient heat rather than generating it, a heat pump can significantly improve an EV’s range and efficiency in cold weather. GM Authority reader Ed reached out to us with a good question: is the 2025 Cadillac Optiq equipped with a heat pump?
We have good news for Ed and anyone else in the market for a GM EV. The answer is yes: the 2025 Cadillac Optiq and all of its BEV3 platform-mates come standard with a heat pump, which is sometimes a costly option on an electric vehicle.
The 2025 Cadillac Optiq electric compact crossover is the latest North American iteration of GM’s BEV3 platform. It joins the bigger Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Blazer EV, and similarly sized Chevy Equinox EV. All of the above have heat pumps, helping them maximize range in cold climates.
The good news doesn’t stop there. All models built on the BT1 platform also come standard with a heat pump. That encompasses the Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, GMC Hummer EV (both the Pickup and SUV), and the upcoming Cadillac Escalade IQ.
For those keeping track, this means that all current GM EVs built on its current architecture – which used to be called Ultium – have heat pumps. It’s reasonable to expect that all future GM EVs will continue to use this feature, making electric vehicles more feasible across all of North America.
Of note is that the current-generation Ultium-based EVs are the only GM electric vehicles with heat pumps. The GM EV1 and BEV2 vehicles – the Chevy Bolt EV and Bolt EUV – use a resistive heating system. This hurts the range in cold weather, but at the time, it helped keep costs down so the Bolt could be affordable. This is something to keep in mind if you live in a cold climate and are considering a used Chevy Bolt.
The proliferation of heat pumps in EVs across all GM brands that sell them makes them particularly desirable for drivers who live in areas that get cold in winter. The latest research by Recurrent shows that EVs without heat pumps retain an average of 72 percent of their range in freezing temperatures, while EVs with heat pumps equipped retain 87 percent of their estimated range. This advantage makes GM EVs worth serious consideration for anyone who lives through frigid winters.
Comments
False. No bolts have heat pumps. What lazy “reporting”.
Read the article more closely.
It was re-written after my comment……
I thought all of GM EVs have heat pumps.
It is not an issue for me because we never have winter. It is spring or sunmer all year. As of today, Dec 3rd, we are still in summer with 89 degrees.
If you can pair electric heated seats with the heat pump, then you may have something that can take you through winter.
Heat pumps do not work well in very cold weather. Hopefully this system will have backup heat coils
Correct DJC, in my experience you have to set the temperature higher than you normally would to feel comfortable too.
Yes, heat pumps have their low temperature limits. They need to be backed up by resistance heaters. Positive Temperature Coefficient heaters (PTC) are safer than conventional resistance heaters, but not more efficient.
We have a Tesla Model Y with a heat pump. We live in Canada and winter range loss is ~20% (including snow tire range loss). We also have a Chevrolet Bolt, with no heat pump. Winter range loss is about 40%. We have a deposit on an Optiq which may not have a heat pump. Check out the owner’s manual, page 58. Link https://contentdelivery.ext.gm.com/bypass/gma-content-api/resources/sites/GMA/content/staging/MANUALS/9000/MA9450/en_US/1.0/25_CAD_OPTIQ_OM_en_US_U_18469671A_2024SEP20.pdf.
I hope I am wrong about the Optiq not having a heat pump. I was excited about replacing our Model Y with an Optiq.
This really shouldn’t cost much more. A heat pump is almost the same as the A/C the car already has. The major components – the compressor, the inside coil and the outside coil are already there. All is need is a reversing valve and some software.
Since the Optiq will be manufactured in Mexico is there info on how/if the possibility of a tariff will affect the price or availability?