- The 2025 Cadillac Optiq SUV will be the company’s first electric car. It will have two electric motors and an 85-kWh battery.
- When it goes on sale later this year, the 190-inch-long tiny SUV will only be available in a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive (AWD) version. It will be available in two different trim levels: sport and luxury.
- The Optiq should have a range of 300 miles and cost $54,000 when it first comes out.
Cadillac showed off the Optiq in Paris, which was the company’s newest battery-electric car. This was during a busy time for EV rollouts. It will be the first luxury EV in the division’s line-up, and it will have all the usual high-end features. This will attract customers who weren’t early adopters of electric cars.
The Optiq will only come with two motors and all-wheel drive. It is built on GM’s Ultium platform. The 85-kWh battery should give the car a range of 300 miles. That’s Cadillac’s guess right now; we’ll find out how close it is when the car actually comes out.
The Optiq should be a quick runabout with long-range and small city car dimensions. It should have two motors that produce about 300 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque.
John Cockburn, the chief engineer, said, “With the Ultium Platform, we can fit enough power into a smaller package to deliver an exhilarating performance that gives the feeling of being completely alone.”
The Cadillac Optiq has only a few options, and the base price is $54,000 before taxes and delivery charges. There will be both Sport and Luxury models of the Optiq.
This will put it close to other electric crossovers and SUVs of the same size, though not all of them have luxurious interiors. These cars are in a very competitive price range, with many choices from Japanese and German automakers that overlap.
But Cadillac doesn’t want to buy the improved Tesla Model Y cars with two motors because it wants its own look, driving experience, and interior layout. It’s also unlikely that the MSRP will change every two weeks.
Cadillac says the Optiq has the best second-row room and cargo capacity in its class. Other features that make it stand out are a fixed glass roof, DC fast charging that can add up to 79 miles in 10 minutes and adjustable regenerative braking. But since this is going to be a small SUV, it won’t try to fit a tiny third row of seats.
As the genre calls for it, the inside will have a big 33-inch LED monitor. Cadillac also wants to surprise buyers with PaperWood veneer and accent fabric made from only recyclable materials. This is in line with the interior trends in the electric vehicle (EV) business. GM’s Super Cruise driver-assist system will be built in, along with Dolby Atmos and a 19-speaker AKG audio system.
Optiq shows how our courageous and innovative attitude is leading us into the EV future, said Global Cadillac vice president John Roth. Cadillac has always been a sign of American wealth.
For a more in-depth look at this EV, we’ll have to wait a little longer. The Optiq’s Paris debut was more about form and basic drivetrain numbers than about small details. EV buyers are still looking for high-end SUVs that are relatively inexpensive, but what we know so far points to a strong start that will happen just in time. The trim price and other information about the model should be made public closer to its release. The first batch will be made this fall.
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