Although it was first unveiled in 2022 and went into production in 2024, the Cadillac Celestiq ultra-luxury electric sedan is still somewhat of a mystery. It doesn’t have an online configurator, and the closest thing it has to an official starting price is “mid-$300k.” This bespoke luxury car can only be ordered by inquiry, and every example built is one of a kind.
The Cadillac Celestiq is a car you can get optioned pretty much however you want with a big enough budget, but we’ve discovered one feature that’s surprisingly optional. It’s a rear-seat wireless charging pad capable of charging two devices simultaneously. The rear center console and interactive display are standard, but adding a wireless charging pad will, apparently, cost you extra.
“If equipped, the vehicle has up to four wireless chargers, two in the front and two in the rear of the center console storage bin,” reads page 91 of the 2025 Cadillac Celestiq owner’s manual. “The system operates at 127.7 kHz and can charge one Qi-compatible smartphone per charger at a rate of up to 3 amps (15 W).”
The “if equipped” part of that statement implies that the quad wireless chargers are optional in a car that starts in the mid-$300k range.
We reported last August that wireless charging comprised the number one and number two most desired features in a new vehicle, according to research from AutoPacific. 44 percent of respondents to the survey said they want a wireless charging pad for the front passengers, and 37 percent want wireless charging in the back, which is an uncommon feature.
Other than the Celestiq, the only GM vehicles with rear wireless charging are the Cadillac Escalade, Escalade IQ, and Escalade IQL when equipped with the Executive Second-Row Seating Package. Interestingly, the Executive Second-Row Seating Package available in the GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate does not offer wireless charging for back-seat occupants.
So, when you visit Cadillac House to design your Cadillac Celestiq, make sure to ask about the back-seat wireless charging option and let us know how much it costs extra.
Comments
Has anyone actually bought one of these monstrosities?
Yes. They are sold out for years to come.
It’s really grown on me. Can’t wait to see one in person.
How long tdo these people stay in their vehicles? I charge my phone at home and have never had it run down on road trips. I don’t stay on it 24/7, however LOL.
The amount of time that your phone battery holds it charge depends on your phone. However, an iPhone 16 Pro Max holds its charge for 17 hours. No one who enters a Celestiq with a fully-charge phone will need to recharge his/her phone before exiting the car. However, there may be a driver or passenger who enters the car with an uncharged or partially charged phone battery.
Having said that, this is really a non-story. Any EV that can recharge a cell phone can recharge a lot of cell phones for a long time. The Celestiq’s battery capacity is 111 kWh. The iPhone 16 Pro Max’s battery capacity is 18.17 Wh. This means that the Celestiq’s battery has the capacity to fully charge about 6100 of these phones. Have your friends get in line. It’s gonna be along wait.
Since retail sales of the ugly $340,000+ Hearse Mobile is zero, this feature is really meaningless, this ugly Hearse Mobile may set a record between when production started and when a customer finally takes delivery of one.
Cigna,
There’s a story to be told here. I don’t know what it is but nothing really adds up on this product. After much hype and delay, John Roth with Cadillac announced in January of ‘24 that Celestiq production had begun. A prominent car magazine went to the “factory” and published photos of the cars proportedly being built and hyped the car.
Later we learned production hadn’t actually started. GM said they were prioritizing battery supplies for their EV pickups so Celestiq was delayed. Then, of course, it’s now known that EV pickups are selling very slowly (less than 10,000 units last year of a planned 400,000+) so the supposed reason for Celestiq’s delay doesn’t ring true.
In late summer of last year, it was announced that all Celestiqs would be 2025 models with production beginning in the fourth quarter of ‘24. We’re now in the second quarter of ‘25 and there’s been no further comment from GM that I’m aware of. So, it remains a mystery as to what’s going on. Are they actually being built but just in total secrecy with the proud new owners not uttering a word? Are the 800 buyers GM said they had (sold out for two years at 400 per year) still patiently waiting? Are there perhaps major production hurdles still to be overcome delaying the build? Or, maybe is it all hype and the “built to order” Celestiq simply doesn’t have any, or enough, orders yet to commence production. I really don’t know but GM has totally botched this product launch and the prestige they sought for Cadillac by apparent incompetence and more importantly, not being more forthcoming.
Saw one of these. For some reason a $300,000 Aztek came to mind.
Maybe the Celestcalade would look better as a notchback “sedan”. OR have a complete restyle (interior and exterior) by Pininfarina? Anything is better than the current model.
Please, no more Celestiq pictures. I’m begging you. My eyes can’t take it.