Cadillac is getting in on the pay-for-power upgrade structure that is being introduced to the electric vehicle sector. Following in the steps of Mercedes and others, Lyriq owners will be able to buy a 74 lb-ft (100 Nm) torque update that can be implemented over the air.
Dubbed the Velocity Upgrade, owners of the 2024 AWD Cadillac Lyriq (and eventually owners of the 2023 model, too) will be invited to pay a one-time $1,200 activation fee plus taxes to unlock the extra oomph.
With that, owners will have their torque levels upgraded from 450 lb-ft (610 Nm) up to 524 lb-ft (710 Nm). That will shrink the Lyriq’s 0-60 time (96 km/h) from 4.7 seconds down to 4.4 seconds, which is an improvement of 0.3 seconds.
Since this is an over-the-air update, North American owners will have to continue driving around with their old 600E4 badge, despite it no longer accurately reflecting the torque levels of the vehicle.
Read: Mercedes Releases A $1,200 Annual Subscription To Unlock A 60 To 110 HP For Its EVs
Per Cadillac’s naming conventions, the number relates to the amount of torque in Newton meters (rounded down) that a vehicle has access to. However, they may be able to buy their own “700E4” badge from China, where the improved torque figure is available from the dealership.
Despite the badging confusion (just think of your Lyriq as a sleeper), Cadillac isn’t the first automaker to offer more power via an over-the-air update. Late last year, Mercedes introduced its own upgrade, creatively titled “Acceleration Increase.”
The package is being offered across a variety of vehicles, so the actual power upgrades vary, but across all models it offers an improvement of 0.8 to one second in the 0-60 sprint. Cadillac owners may be happy to learn that, although their package offers less improvement, it is a one-time purchase, whereas Mercedes’ increase is a subscription that costs $1,200 per year.
Moreover, Cadillac says that once the power update is purchased, it stays with the car forever, even after the original purchaser sells it. However, that does mean that people who buy the Velocity Upgrade get just seven days to change their mind and ask for their money back.
Available through the Lyriq’s infotainment system, the update replaces the Sport mode with a Velocity mode, and is ready to be purchased today.
