There’s a lot riding on the new Cadillac Lyriq electric model. This will mark a new era for the American company moving forward, being its first fully electric offering in the luxury segment. According to Cadillac, things are moving along as expected, with the prototype passing 80 percent validation earlier this year, following some grueling tests performed in some of the harshest environments on Earth.
Cadillac created a curated route that encompassed freeway, urban, and rural driving scenarios to create a perfect picture of Lyriq’s performance on varied road surfaces and in varying traffic conditions. The engineers evaluated the car’s driving, system calibrations, and other components that directly affect the in-car experience under these real-world situations.
“We have spent countless hours behind the wheel of our LYRIQ test fleet and in virtual testing environments to be sure we deliver our customers a comprehensive luxury experience expressed in an all-new electrified package,” said Jamie Brewer, executive chief engineer. “All the while we are remaining true to our brand promise by placing high priority on meticulous craftsmanship and intuitive integrated technologies.”
The crew traveled as far as New Zealand for test drives as part of an accelerated launch timetable for Lyriq, which was aided in part by breakthroughs in virtual development and parallel procedures. Cold-weather testing was carried out in August to take advantage of the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, avoiding the need to wait until the Northern Hemisphere’s season began.
The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq will be built in GM’s Spring Hill, Tennessee, assembly plant, which got a $2 billion investment to support electric vehicle production. At Spring Hill, an extra $2.3 billion is being spent in a brand-new battery cell manufacturing complex.
Lyriq will be available in the Debut Edition guise at launch, which will include innovative technology and decent performance thanks to its dedicated electric design. On a full charge, the 12-module, 100.4 kilowatt-hour battery pack should offer an estimated range of 300 miles. The rear-wheel drive Utium Drive motor will make 340 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque.
You’ll be able to add up to 76 miles of range in under 10 minutes using Lyriq’s high-speed DC fast charging capabilities of up to 190 kW. When fitted with a Level 2, 19 kW charge module you’ll be able get up to 52 miles of range per hour. The Lyriq Debut Edition reservation books are already full. However, reservations for other models will begin next summer.
