Electric vehicles (EVs) are proving to be something of a pivot point in car design. They present new practical options to designers, with their moving parts all beneath a flat floor and their lack of an engine bay. But they’re also somehow thematically different.
Drawing up the shapes and surfaces for a vehicle that moves with the power of electrons and taps into electric grids inspires designers differently than drawing up the shapes and surfaces of a vehicle that moves with the power of fire and snarling noise. Case in point – the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq revealed this week: the vehicle meant to shape the future of America’s longest-running luxury car marque.
It looks like something well beyond its price tag (it starts at $59,990). That makes it much more affordable than comparable luxury electrics like the Jaguar I-Pace or Audi e-tron. Cadillac will begin taking reservations for the car in September, but the Lyriq won’t be delivered until 2022, arriving as a 2023 model.
The Lyriq keeps the rough shape of a crossover SUV, sure. But beyond that, it’s strikingly new. Its front end is a riot of sharp lines. Its false “grille” (electric cars don’t need them) is smooth and glassy, with bright lines at all angles cut into it. At night, some of them light up, giving the car a broad smile. The headlights seem to span the entire vertical surface of the facade, but the actual lighting elements are thin threads.
On the tail, there are thin lines of red light that curl around the rear glass, and another set cut into the sides of the bumper like gills. It’s offered only in black or silver.
Inside, it’s like a starship. There’s a wide, curved expanse of glass housing a 33-inch LED display. It sits in front of the driver but reaches almost to the passenger’s side. It replaces both the traditional instrument binnacle and the central touchscreen of other cars. The steering wheel has enough capacitive-touch buttons that we assume one fires the lasers. There’s a floating console between driver and passenger but nothing beneath it. And it’s all lit in a cool ice blue.
The Lyriq is built around its 100 kWh battery, which Cadillac says is good for more than 300 miles of driving range (the EPA hasn’t tested that claim yet). Attached to a Level 3 DC fast charger, the vehicle is said to be able to add 76 miles of driving range in just 10 minutes. With Level 2 charging, you’ll get about 3.5 miles per hour.
The Lyriq has a single electric motor attached to the rear axle, putting out 340 horsepower. We’re a bit surprised that a 2-motor, all-wheel drive isn’t an option. It may appear in an update at some point.
It’s the most unique design we’ve seen from Cadillac in a long time. The 2023 Lyriq ushers in a new era for GM’s luxury brand. The company has already announced that its current lineup of gasoline-powered cars will be the last of their kind. It’s all-electric by the end of the decade for Cadillac. If this is the direction we can expect future Cadillacs to take, the next generation will be a long way from the cushioned, marshmallowy luxury cars that built the brand’s reputation.
The Lyriq is a pivot point, and we’re excited to see the direction Cadillac takes after the pivot.
