Cadillac is entering the luxury electric SUV market with its 2023 Lyriq, falling in line with many auto manufacturers as they strive for a more environmentally sustainable future.
The vehicle features a 340 horsepower engine and a 100 kWh battery capable of driving more than 300 miles on one charge. It will start at $59,900, with pre-orders beginning September 18 and production slated to start during the first quarter of 2022.
"We believe that it's an absolutely stunning vehicle," said Rory Harvey, global head of Cadillac. "I'm sure you'll draw your own conclusions."
Parent company GM has committed to only producing zero-emission cars by 2035. The Lyriq will be produced at a converted plant located in Spring Hill, Tennessee. About $2 billion was invested to update the site, as well as an additional $2.3 billion to create a battery manufacturing facility that should provide an additional 1,500 U.S.-based jobs, Harvey told Cheddar.
"There is no doubt that there is growing momentum and that EVs are the future," he said. "From our perspective, a Cadillac point of view, we will be leading the GM transition, and by 2030 all of our vehicles will be EVs."
There are still some issues the electric vehicle industry must face, including sustainability and humanitarian concerns over mining materials used for batteries. GM and Cadillac have processes in place to ensure that its mining partners are humane and equitable to its workers, Harvey said, and has a new program to recycle 100 percent of rare materials used in the batteries. The Lyriq battery is expected to last at least eight years with regular use.
Another concern is that there are still so few electric charging ports across the country compared to gas stations. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are only 43,900 EV charging stations compared to just north of 150,000 gas stations across the country. But with the Lyriq's extensive charge range and more EV charging stations added to the map each day, Harvey isn't concerned.
"From our research, the average daily commute is 40 miles," he explained. "For somebody that uses it under those conditions, range anxiety shouldn't be an issue."
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