At a swanky loft in downtown Los Angeles, Cadillac recently gave some media the opportunity to preview the new Optiq EV. Optiq will share the smaller Ultium platform with Chevrolet’s Equinox, until the Bolt returns with a new lithium iron phosphate battery. – and it will be the maximum electric Cadillac on the market.
The Ultium chassis will then feature vehicles in almost every class, rounding out General Motors’ significant investment with the GMC Hummer, Chevrolet Silverado, and Cadillac Escalade IQ at the larger end of the spectrum, the luxury-focused Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq in the full-size SUV segment, and the Blazer and even Acura ZDX for mid-size buyers. But Optiq will target a different customer base, demanding a premium price point compared to the more budget-friendly Equinox.
The specs alone will differentiate the Optiq from even higher versions of the Equinox. The shared 85 kilowatt-hour battery allows Cadillac to charge up to three hundred miles of range, as well as DC fast charging capable of adding up to 79 miles of range. in about 10 minutes. Unlike the Equinox, which allows you to choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, Cadillac has to equip the Optiq with two motors and all-wheel drive only. The declared power is aimed at three hundred horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque.
The nominal gains in diversity and strength over the Equinox pale in comparison to the interior design that Cadillac hopes it deserves to help distinguish this electric vehicle from the increasingly competitive compact electric crossover market. Across multiple surfaces, panels trimmed with 100% recycled yarn and curtains combining tulip wood and recycled newspaper introduce a touch of tactile luxury missing from the Spartan EV’s futuristic landscape, while the perforated dashboard also allows ambient lighting to shine. below in a much more subtle way than the LED strips that many other brands consider mandatory on luxury cars today.
These texture elements are discovered on the switches and, in particular, the giant infotainment button above the center console, all of which sum up the first impressions of an incredibly premium experience. Some smaller buttons come from other GM vehicles, as usual, and the giant curved combination gauge cluster and infotainment screen above the piano keys for the climate controls also share their design with the LyriqArray.
On the exterior, even if the overall profile resembles the Equinox, Optiq features more angular headlights, a meatier grille, streaked sides, and a more stylized rear end. The rear quarter panel styling, in particular, harkens back to original concept sketches, while a dual-split roof spoiler and even the taillight design both help to improve aerodynamic performance.
But Optiq also needs to live up to the sporty design elements and luxurious interior treatment simultaneously, in terms of driving dynamics. So Cadillac also put additional effort into suspension and steering tuning to differentiate this compact crossover from its Ultium siblings. Dampers that Lead Development Engineer Thomas Schinderle calls “passive-plus” employ unique valving to cut out high-frequency vibrations typical of choppy roads, while allowing the rest of the shock absorber to focus on smoothing out moments of longer travel.
Calibration of the electronic steering assist purposefully requires more driver effort than on Equinox, with a much tighter ratio than on the more luxuriously focused Lyriq. Dual-compound tires employ different sidewall and tread compounds to stiffen up the load-bearing aspect, while enhancing comfort and rolling resistance for optimized range, too. And Cadillac will also include sealant inside the tires to prevent punctures, as well as reducing the effects of noise, vibration and harshness.
The sporty lines from every angle can be traced back to the engineering of the Optiq EV.
Buyers looking for a compact crossover will likely appreciate this electric vehicle’s space, with plenty of legroom and headroom for either row of seats, as well as a two-level shipping area that allows for additional garage area when needed. Two small circular compartments on each side of the rear allow for safer storage for groceries or sports gear that could be dropped or rolled over for sportier riding.
But of course, the biggest hurdle for more hesitant EV consumers, which Cadillac hopes to attract with Optiq, comes down to diversity and price. Cadillac promises that the base Optiq will start at about $54,000, adding destination fees, and if the EPA certifies a range of three hundred miles, the combination may manage to alleviate range anxiety among luxury buyers. And perhaps even more so, for experienced EV owners who know that a few hundred miles of diversity will be more than enough for the maximum driving that Optiq is intentionally well positioned to perform.
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