February 7, 2025
Perception: how Common Motors is making the transfer to electrical

The brand new Lyriq SUV is Cadillac’s first EV – and in addition introduces a brand new design language geared toward restoring the emblem to its complete premium-class glory. Due out in america subsequent 12 months as a rival to the Audi Q8 E-tron and the BMW iX, it kind of feels smartly designed to suit firmly in that marketplace.

The outside maintains some acquainted Cadillac design cues but additionally has a freshness lacking from the emblem’s fresh detached saloons, whilst the inner has a luxurious really feel, headlined through an enveloping 33in curved virtual display.

Our transient time out in a Lyriq at GM’s Warren Proving Flooring printed that whilst no longer probably the most dynamic of vehicles, it’s clean and comfy to pressure. The 335bhp rear-wheel-drive powertrain (dual-motor variations will practice) deploys its energy impulsively, whilst the experience is clean and particularly quiet. The 106kWh battery must give it a spread of greater than 300 miles, too.

Tipped to be GM’s Eu flagship, the Lyriq is expounded to a daring taking pictures brake, the Celestiq, this is due in 2024 – even supposing this can be a wholly other proposition. It’s a exhibit of Cadillac’s true luxurious credentials, a limited-production coachbuilt introduction meant as a Bentley and Rolls-Royce rival, priced just about £250,000.

Brightdrop exemplifies start-up mentality

The most productive instance of GM’s push to offer its divisions a start-up mentality is Brightdrop, its new logo for electrical last-mile supply cars.

Born out of a GM innovation incubator, its senior managers are in large part drawn from the tech trade. Boss Travis Katz, for example, in the past labored at Myspace and shuttle.com.

Brightdrop is growing a spread of supply cars, beginning with the Zevo 600. This has the entire hallmarks of a UPS or Fedex van – a big load bay with adaptable layouts, a sensible, open cabin and a side-sliding driving force’s door – however is constructed on GM’s Ultium EV platform, giving it a spread of 250 miles.

Significantly, the Zevo 600 used to be advanced in simply 24 months – a report for a GM car that the company says used to be enabled each through Brightdrop’s start-up freedom and the assets of its dad or mum company. Certainly, it’s closely in keeping with the some distance much less sensible Hummer.