Cadillac used the North American International Auto Show to preview their first fully electric vehicle, but the company was tight-lipped on specifics. That’s starting to change as Cadillac President Steve Carlisle has dropped some hints about the upcoming model.
Speaking with GM Inside News, Carlisle suggested the crossover will have one of the longest ranges on the market. As he explained, “We’ll have to push past 300 miles (482 km)” because “internal combustion car[s] can drive 400 miles (643 km), that’s what people are expecting.”
If the company is able to deliver an electric crossover with 400 miles (643 km) of range, that would be a huge accomplishment as the distance would trounce rivals such as the Tesla Model X 100D which has a range of 295 miles (474 km). The electric Cadillac would also be able to best newer competitors such as the Audi E-Tron and Mercedes EQC.
This suggests the crossover will use a relatively large battery pack, but there’s no word on its capacity. Carlisle also declined to mention charging times, but noted they’re an important concern.
Unfortunately, fans have a long wait ahead of them as the electric crossover appears to be at least three years away. That will put Cadillac several years behind the competition, but Carlisle downplayed this by saying “Three years is a nanosecond in the fullness of time.” That’s certainly true, but so is that fact that Cadillac wouldn’t be in such as bad position if they would have launched the XT4 and XT6 three years ago.
While Cadillac will be late to the luxury electric game, Carlisle suggested they’ll be a leader in electric vehicles by building the best ones on the market. He also suggested the brand will eventually offer a full range of electric vehicles.
