A smart move? Cadillac is adding IQ to its familiar flagship, the Escalade. That’s the brand’s shorthand for its growing line-up of battery-electric vehicles.
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ makes its public debut today, and General Motors’ luxury marque is betting that it will gain significant traction as Caddy begins its transition to an all-electric brand by the end of the decade.
Long the bestselling model in the full-size luxury SUV segment, the Escalade IQ will adopt a bold design, picking up some of the distinctive lighting cues first seen on the brand’s first EV, the smaller Lyriq. It also will deliver up to 450 miles of range in its initial form, with a twin-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain.
Prepare to write a big check
But the 2025 Escalade IQ won’t come cheap, with an initial starting price of $130,000. Less well-equipped versions are set to follow and could dip below the six-figure mark — though Cadillac officials declined to go into details about future plans.
As with other new GM EVs, the Escalade IQ will use the automaker’s new Ultium technology, including next-generation lithium-ion batteries and a much simplified electrical architecture that opts for a central processing system, rather than relying on a network of microprocessors scattered across the vehicle.
The underlying platform is the same as will be used for some of GM’s truck-like battery-electric vehicles, including the upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV, as well as the GMC Hummer EV. And it will be equally massive. Though its curb weight hasn’t been released, company officials hinted it will be close to the Hummer’s, which starts at about 9,000 pounds.
As a result, the electric SUV will need a massive battery pack, “more than 200 kilowatt-hours,” according to comments made at a media backgrounder earlier this month.
Dimensions
As has been the case from the beginning, the electric Escalade carries over the ‘Slade’s in-your-face design. That starts with a distinctive array of lights up front, including vertical LED headlamps and a lighted Caddy logo. The big rig also gets 35-inch tires — the biggest ever — on 24-inch alloy wheels.
The Escalade IQ comes in at 224.3 inches in total length, nearly as long as the current, stretched version of the gas SUV. The wheelbase is 136.2 inches, the height 76.1 inches. It’s also 94.1 inches wide, or about 4 inches wider than the current Escalade. Surprisingly, noted Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst at Guidehouse Insights, the 2025 EV — though quite roomy — “isn’t very space efficient.” It actually has a bit less cabin space than the standard wheelbase gas model.
A massive frunk
The overall design is one reason. With their batteries and motors hidden under the load floor, many EVs steal back space normally devoted to an engine compartment for use by passengers and cargo. It’s an approach Caddy took with the Lyriq. The brand’s designers opted for a more traditional shape, however, with an intimidatingly long and upright front end.
“We had the freedom to get the proportions right,” said design manager Craig Sass.
It’s not wasted space, though. Under the hood, motorists will discover a massive front trunk, with nearly as much space as the Ford F-150 Lightning offers with its own frunk.
The overall shape of the 2025 Escalade IQ is more streamlined, aerodynamics playing a critical role in extending the range of an EV. The automaker claims it has a 15% lower coefficient of drag than any prior Escalade.
Power and performance
That will also help improve performance. And the electric SUV will be nothing, if not quick, with the launch edition capable of launching from 0-60 in less than 5 seconds, according to Caddy.
The drivetrain will make up to 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque using its driver-activated “Velocity Max” mode.
A spec sheet promises the Escalade IQ will be able to add up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes when plugged into a public quick charger — though the exact time would depend upon the charger’s output. Full quick charging times weren’t released but using a 240-volt home charger could add up to 37 miles of additional range per hour.
Escalade IQ also will offer V2H, or vehicle-to-home, bidirectional charging. That allows an owner to pull power from the big battery pack, if needed, to keep the lights on at home or office, or power up a work or campsite. As TheDetroitBureau.com reported yesterday, GM will begin rolling this out across its U.S. product line-up, starting in 2024.
Plenty of luxury features
The initial package will be loaded with seemingly every possible feature in the Cadillac playbook. That includes 4-wheel-steering which will permit for a turning circle of a mere 39.4 feet. And the latest version of the Magnetic Ride Control suspension technology will be able to respond in milliseconds to road conditions and driver input.
The techno-push extends into the cabin where the Escalade IQ will feature 55 inches of “pillar-to-pillar” displays. Of that, 35 inches will be dedicated to the “driver area,” the rest for passengers. Twin 12.6-inch screens will be available for second-row passengers, along with foldaway tables.
The seats feature the requisite heated, cooling and massage functions. There are floating center consoles, front and back, and they each offer twin wireless smartphone chargers.
Technology
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will get the latest version of GM’s semi-autonomous Super Cruise technology which will permit hands-free operation, the automaker claims, on up to 400,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian roadways.
While officials declined to comment, the IQ model is expected to be one of, if not the, first GM product line to eventually get the even more advanced Ultra Cruise system. It’s unclear if the initial 2025 model will be equipped with the necessary technology for a later upgrade, however.
As one also could expect, the big electric SUV will feature a long list of advanced driver assistance systems.
One of two new Caddy EV flagships
The launch of the Escalade IQ marks a significant point in the long-running “renaissance” of the Cadillac brand. It will serve as one of two flagships for the marque, coming to market for 2025 along with the all-new Celestiq supercar.
And among those two, the SUV will be a relative bargain. Celestiq, GM announced this month, will start at $340,000 — though it will offer extensive customization that could boost that figure substantially.
Typical of past Cadillacs, this one is junk.