The end could be nearing for Cadillac‘s internal combustion lineup.
As more electric vehicles debut over the next few years, including the Escalade IQ full-size SUV being revealed in August, General Motors‘ luxury brand also likely will begin to phase out some of its gasoline-powered sedans and crossovers. Cadillac intends to have an all-electric lineup by 2030.
John Roth, who took over as vice president of global Cadillac in June, has said internal combustion vehicles will “coexist” alongside the brand’s EVs for several years. Forecasters say the gasoline-powered lineup eventually will be on its way out, though the timing is fluid.
Rory Harvey, Roth’s predecessor at Cadillac before being promoted to GM’s president of North America, in February said Cadillac was preparing to debut three EVs this year to enter production in 2024. The Escalade IQ was the first new EV announced since.
All future EVs will have names that end in “iq,” Cadillac has said. In addition to the Lyriq, Celestiq and Escalade IQ, GM has trademarked the names Escalade IQL, Optiq, Ascendiq, Lumistiq and Vistiq. A previous trademark filed for the name Symboliq appears to have been dropped.
“With the transition to EVs, a lot of things are fluid,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. “Keeping an ICE version in production as long as demand and profit are there could help ease the transition to EVs for the company and factories.”
Escalade IQ/IQL: Cadillac is preparing to reveal the electric Escalade IQ full-size SUV on Aug. 9 in New York. The brand has called the IQ “the reinvention of Cadillac’s most iconic nameplate.” It’s expected to go on sale in early 2024 and be built at GM’s Factory Zero plant in Detroit. The Escalade IQL, the electric counterpart to the longer-wheelbase Escalade ESV, is expected in 2025.
Large electric crossover: Cadillac could introduce a large three-row electric crossover in 2025.
Lyriq: A freshening of the midsize electric crossover, Cadillac’s first EV, is projected in 2026. GM sold 2,316 Lyriqs through the first half of this year, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center.
Smaller electric crossovers: Cadillac is expected to introduce one or two electric crossovers smaller than the Lyriq by the first half of 2025. Chinese government officials recently released images of the Cadillac Optiq, an electric crossover that could slot between the XT4 and the Lyriq in size. Cadillac declined to comment on whether the Optiq will be sold in the U.S.
Celestiq: The ultraluxury Celestiq, Cadillac’s flagship electric fastback sedan, will begin production in December and go on sale early next year. The Celestiq will be hand-built at GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Mich., and start in the low $300,000s. No two Celestiqs are expected to be alike, and buyers can begin working with a Cadillac concierge service starting this summer to customize their vehicles.
Electric sedan: Forecasters say one electric sedan is possible in 2027 at the Lansing Grand River Assembly plant that currently builds the gasoline CT4 and CT5 sedans, though its size is not clear.
Escalade/Escalade ESV: The current generation of the Escalade full-size SUV and the longer-wheelbase Escalade ESV could end production in 2026 or 2027, though forecasters say it’s possible the highly profitable line could be updated and production extended.
XT6: Cadillac’s largest crossover is expected to end production in 2025. It’s not clear whether the XT6 will be freshened before then.
XT5: The midsize crossover is slated to go out of production in 2025.
XT4: The compact crossover received a freshening early this year with exterior design updates and a larger touchscreen drawn from the Lyriq. It is expected to end production in 2026.
CT5: Cadillac’s midsize sedan could receive a facelift in 2024 before ending production in 2025 or 2026.
CT4: The compact sedan could be freshened next year before being phased out in 2025 or 2026.