Cadillac has ventured into the electrified space in the past with the forgettable ELR and the now-discontinued CT6 Plug-In Hybrid. Neither model was successful, but the American luxury automaker isn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. Caddy shows its persistence with the debut of the LYRIQ all-electric concept crossover that could spawn a production model in time for the 2023 model year.
Though it’s still a concept, the show car looks nearly production ready, giving us a glimpse into what the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ may look like. Up front, it boasts a unique take on the Cadillac grille with a “black crystal” nose flanked by signature vertical LED headlights. Down the sides are soft body lines with no sharp creases or direction changes to distract from its unique shape, massive wheels, and gloss-black rocker panels and wheel arches. Around back, the bulging rear end shows off LED taillights that slice into the C-pillars and vertical lighting in the rear bumper.
Inside, this EV crossover features a spacious and simple design with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Its design simplicity is contrasted by its tech, which includes a one-piece 33-inch screen that comprises the instrument panel and infotainment system, backlit speaker grilles, a 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system, advanced noise cancellation, and orchestrated lighting.
The concept gives us a teaser of what may lay beneath the 2023 LYRIQ’s skin, but there’s limited information available. What we know is the concept is fully electric with a standard rear drive motor and an optional front drive motor for performance-oriented all-wheel drive. Fueling these motors is the roughly 100-kilowatt-hour Ultium battery system with 90% fewer wires than current GM electric vehicles. This battery pack can handle up to 150 kW DC fast charging for quick top-ups or up to 19-kW Level 2 charging for overnight recharges. Cadillac expects an EV range of over 300 miles.
The 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ’s safety features remain unconfirmed, but the automaker did announce it’ll feature Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system. We also expect all the latest safety gear, including standard automatic emergency braking.
