The Cadillac Lyriq is a battery electric crossover utility vehicle (CUV), and is the luxury marque’s first all-electric vehicle. As such, it introduces a new era in luxury, technology and electrification.
Following the reveal of the Lyriq crossover, General Motors announced plans to introduce a total of four electric Cadillac models by the 2025 calendar year. All five models are centered around GM’s Ultium battery platform, which utilizes Ultium Drive technology.
Model Years | 2023-present |
Assembly Location | GM Spring Hill Plant, Tennessee, U.S.A. |
Platform | BEV3 |
Program Code | L233 |
Layout | Skateboard-type |
Battery | Ultium (102 kWh) |
Horsepower | 340 (RWD) or 500 (AWD) |
Torque | 325 pound-feet (RWD) or 450 pound-feet (AWD) |
Motors | Ultium Drive |
Drive wheels | RWD or AWD (eAWD or pAWD) |
Availability | U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, China, Europe |
Predecessor | no direct predecessor, XT5 indirect |
Successor | no direct successor |
Lyriq Show Car
The Cadillac Lyriq was previewed by the Lyriq show car, which was revealed in August 2020 and featured around 90 percent of the design of the model that would eventually go into production, with several key differences separating it from the production-intent model.
First Generation
A show car variant of the first generation Cadillac Lyriq was originally intended to be revealed in April 2020, but was postponed to April 2021 due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the first General Motors’ product to ride on the GM BEV3 platform, the first-gen Cadillac Lyriq began production on March 21st 2022 at the GM Spring Hill plant in Tennessee alongside the Cadillac XT5 and Cadillac XT6 crossovers, while production for Asian markets takes place at the GM Shanghai plant in China. The first North American deliveries took place in July 2021.
Dimensionally speaking, the first-gen Lyriq is larger than the current Cadillac XT5, which the Lyriq indirectly replaces in Cadillac’s lineup.
At debut, the 2023 Lyriq was only available with RWD, while AWD later followed. RWD models delivered 340 horsepower, 325 pound-feet of torque and 312 miles of range through a single, rear-mounted electric motor. AWD models, meanwhile, produce 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque thanks to the addition of a second, front-axle-mounted electric motor. Thanks to the added grip, Lyriq AWD models launch to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
“Lyriq was conceived to make every journey exhilarating and leverages more than a century of innovation to drive the brand into a new era, while rewarding passengers with a more personal, connected and immersive experience,” Cadillac Lyriq Chief Engineer Jamie Brewer stated in a prepared statement. “To do this we developed an architecture specifically for EVs. It is not only an exceptional EV, but first and foremost a Cadillac.”
Check out our 2023 Cadillac Lyriq review / first drive impressions below.
Lyriq-V
An even more high-performance variant, the Cadillac Lyriq-V, will stand as the pinnacle of the Lyriq performance hierarchy. Based around the 2024 Lyriq Sport model, with dark-themed exterior accents, the Lyriq-V will boast a more sporty exterior design, along with at least one unique interior colorway and a new matte exterior color option. The Lyriq-V will also be more powerful than the Lyriq AWD, while also featuring several chassis upgrades, including Continuous Damping Control and likely Adaptive Air Ride suspension.
More Cadillac Lyriq Resources
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