First Drive: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Is a Departure in More Ways than One
The new Lyriq is arguably the prettiest Cadillac in a long time. From a unique front face that will soon become instantly recognizable to its long, sleek lines and beautiful detailing, it could be seen as the modern counterpoint to the Cadillacs of the ’50s. They were distinctive and widely admired, though with a completely different design language than this Lyriq. It seemed for a time that Cadillac wanted to be like BMW, but not anymore. (One might say that of BMW as well.) The Lyriq sets Cadillac on a different direction.
Going back to its traditional positioning might seem odd given that the Lyriq is Cadillac’s first electric vehicle. (We’re not counting the brand’s short-lived plug-in hybrids: the already largely forgotten ELR coupe and CT6 PHEV.) It uses GM’s newly developed Ultium platform, which incorporates the current standard arrangement of a wide and flat battery pack sitting under the passenger compartment. The battery housing is used to enhance the stiffness of the body structure, and its central position contributes to a near 50/50 weight distribution and a lower center of gravity.
This Ultium system is designed around modules, each containing 24 flat lithium-ion cells measuring 4.3 by 22.8 by 0.4 inches. Depending on the application, the battery can use eight to 24 of these modules, stacked in a single or, as in the GMC Hummer EV, a double layer. The modules contain connections for liquid cooling and employ an encrypted wireless network to communicate with the electrical controller, reduce wiring, and to facilitate post-vehicular use. The Lyriq uses 12 of these 8.5-kWh modules for a total battery capacity of 102.0 usable kWh.
Initially, this electricity will energize a single motor rated at 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque driving the rear wheels of the Lyriq. The EPA estimated range is 312 miles. The first of these cars will be delivered this summer. Early next year, an AWD version will add a second motor to power the front axle and raise output to 500 horsepower. The range of that version will likely be 20–30 fewer miles than the rear-wheel-drive car.
Such output falls short of the astounding power and torque offered by some competitors (such as the pricier BMW iX), especially as the Lyriq is a good-size machine. With a length of 196.7 inches and a height of 63.9 inches, it’s three inches longer and about the same amount lower than a current Porsche Cayenne. Those proportions actually make it look about a foot longer than said Porsche.
The Space Inside
The Lyriq’s and Cayenne’s interior dimensions also line up, with about the same passenger volume and very similar luggage space. But the shape of that interior is quite different. The Lyriq has a wheelbase of 121.8 inches, quite long for its overall length and nearly eight inches longer than the Porsche’s. Coupled with the lower overall height and the five or so inches taken up by the battery pack, that makes for a passenger compartment that is shorter, floor to ceiling, but considerably longer than the Cayenne’s. It feels more like a tall car than the typical crossover.
