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December 19, 2022
Test drive the pure EV "Lyriq," symbolizing the dawn of a new era for Cadillac | Cadillac
Cadillac Lyriq RWD
It was fast, comfortable, and luxurious pure EV.
General Motors aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Motor journalist Fumio Ogawa test-drove the "Lyriq," Cadillac's first BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), scheduled for introduction in Japan in 2023.
Text by OGAWA Fumio | Photographs by Cadillac
Adopts a Newly Developed EV Platform
Cadillac has finally begun sales of its BEV "Lyriq" in North America. Deliveries started in May 2022, and it's reportedly sold out through the 2023 model year. Indeed, it's fast, comfortable, and luxurious. The interior and exterior design are also fresh, and it's sure to strongly appeal to fans.
The Cadillac Lyriq's show model was unveiled in April 2020, with a planned launch in 2021. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the schedule was reportedly pushed back to 2022.
I was able to drive the Lyriq in person at the end of July 2022, on a test track owned by Cadillac's parent company, General Motors, in the United States. The facility featured not only straightaways capable of high speeds and curves but also simulated various rough roads found primarily in North America. I was told that if it performed well here, it would handle most roads without issue.
The Lyriq is a fastback-style SUV with a body length close to 5 meters. Its silhouette is unique, and details like the front fascia, which extensively uses LEDs, give it a distinctive character that's hard to forget at first glance.
Broadly speaking, there are two grades. The rear-wheel-drive "RWD" model, equipped with a single motor in the rear, will be released first, followed by an all-wheel-drive version with motors in both front and rear in 2023. The RWD model features a relatively large 100kWh battery, with a maximum output of 255kW and peak torque of 440Nm. Cadillac developers indicated that the AWD version offers even higher performance.
General Motors, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, has developed an EV platform called "Ultium." One of its advantages is that by laying thin, high-capacity battery cells in pouches across the floor, the vehicle's center of gravity is lowered, improving handling.
Another benefit is its modular design, allowing for capacity adjustments depending on the vehicle model. The Lyriq uses 12 modules. For reference, the ultra-powerful GMC Hummer EV, with its 1000 horsepower, utilizes a 24-module version of the same Ultium platform.