The LYRIQ SUV is Cadillac’s first all-electric vehicle and inaugural entry into the exclusive luxury EV market. It will feature the bells and whistles that consumers now expect from EVs — the exceptional off-the-line torque and rapid acceleration of electric powertrains, high per-charge mileage, an opulent interior, and minimalist exterior.
And if getting in on the new luxury EV class is your cup of tea, all you’ll need is some patience and about $60,000 for the standard options.
The Nuts, Bolts, Bells, and Whistles
Don’t mistake it as being par for the luxury class – nuh-uh. Sure, it has bells. And lots of whistles. Yet the LYRIQ appears to have much, much more. This baby is a ground-up design, which incorporates several features not previously seen in the EV environment.
Cadillac’s parent company, GM, recently partnered with LG to roll-out a scalable battery architecture, penned ‘Ultium.’ The Ultium line ranges in sizes 50 kWh (compact EVs) to 200 kWh (oversized trucks, like GMC’s forthcoming Hummer SUV). The LYRIQ’s bay will feature an efficient 100 kWh-capacity battery capable of 300 miles per charge (483 km). You’ll be able to take advantage of both 150 kW fast-charging DC and 19 kW AC power sources, the latter being typical of domestic settings.
It appears that rear-wheel drive comes standard, but dual-motor all-wheel-drive takes the stage in the souped-up option. Word on the proverbial street is that the dual-motor option will boast a 250-kW rear motor and 180-kW front.
Take a look at any of their press releases, and you’ll see that GM is psyched on the enhanced Super Cruise hands-free mode, allegedly the first 100% hands-free option available to the masses. Out of the box, LYRIQ’s Super Cruise will come programmed with on-demand lane changing, supervised remote parking, and mapping for over 200,000 roads.
A 33-inch, curvy OLED display will dominate the front station of the vehicle, providing the driver with essential metrics, camera views, controls for cabin air, side mirrors, and seating, as well as the entertainment/communications module. You’ll command these settings via the touchscreen display or analog dials built into the center console.
Cabin lighting will sync with the shadow-play outside of the vehicle and, quite possibly, the sound system.
What’s in a Name?
The 19-speaker AKG-engineered sound system seems to answer the question, “Why is it called ‘LYRIQ’?” We can only assume that the name is a tip of the hat to the EV’s stereophony.
High-end automotive sound systems thrive in the aftermarket, and that’s been the case for a few decades. Rarely — and I’m just asserting this — is an audio system used to leverage a vehicle’s marketability. Yet it seems that Cadillac intends for the exclusive AKG design to be its sexiest and most salient edge over luxury EV competitors like Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla X.
Part and parcel with these sonic offerings? Passive road noise cancellation is made possible by microphonic and accelerometric technology. Oh, then there is the choreographic LED-backlit speaker grilles and tail-lamps.
Just Wait
Conceptually speaking, the LYRIQ sounds more akin to a luxury experience than a vehicle. From its taut, minimalist exterior lines to its airy and sensual interior, this Promethean vessel promises to create a journey out of any trip — be it to the corner store or cross-country.
The punchline? No touching it until late 2022. But if Cadillac can deliver on its promises, the 2023 LYRIQ may very well be worth the wait.