General Motors plans to go all-electric by 2035. Cadillac has set a more ambitious timeline to be 100% EV by 2030. That transition means the brand's iconic Escalade luxury SUV will become an electric vehicle. And Cadillac confirmed that will happen sooner rather than later, with the Escalade IQ electric SUV.
Here's what you need to know about the Cadillac Escalade IQ.
The Cadillac Escalade IQ debuts on August 9, 2023
Cadillac has confirmed the Escalade IQ will make its debut in August 9, 2023. The reveal event will be held in NYC.
Cadillac won't call the SUV the Escaliq
IQ is Cadillac's EV sub-brand. Cadillac's first two EVs were the Lyriq and the Celestiq. The Escalade EV will follow suit in a sense as the Escalade IQ — which we presume will be pronounced "IQ" and not "ick" — rather than as the Escaliq, sadly.
The Escalade IQ should be broadly similar to the Escalade
Cadillac notes that the Escalade IQ will feature "the same commitment to craftsmanship, technology and performance" as the combustion Escalade. The brand has not released many details yet. But we expect it will stick to the familiar formula — large, luxurious, truck-like SUV — and be less of a departure than the Wagoneer S.
The Escalade IQ should deliver ample performance
GM has not revealed Escalade IQ performance details yet. But we can make some deductions from how GM's Ultium platform has been deployed on other vehicles. We can expect a large battery pack and — at least in the top-spec — a lot of range; GM just upped its EPA range estimate for the Chevy Silverado Work Truck to 450 miles. A top-spec version might have performance figures closer to the Escalade V than the Hummer EV SUT.
The Escalade IQ won't be the only new Cadillac EV
GM has confirmed plans to launch three new Cadillac EVs in 2023. That would leave room for two additional EVs. According to Automotive News, the other vehicles will be two new crossovers: a small one slotting below the Lyriq and a three-row crossover slotting above it. Autoblog obtained spy shots of what appears to be the latter three-row model.
The Escalade IQ should get an extended wheelbase IQL version. But Automotive News does not expect it to arrive until 2025.
The Escalade IQ may be part of a broader wave of new Escalade vehicles
Car and Driver reported that Escalade could be fleshed out into a Bronco-style family of vehicles. The new Escalade lineup could include a three-row crossover and a "more carlike modern-luxury segment fusing all-terrain Escalade" that sounds a lot like a wagon.
When will the Escalade IQ arrive at dealers?
Cadillac has not offered the vehicle's model year yet. And GM's Ultium vehicles have typically required around a year between the reveal and the production launch. Our guess would be a Q3 or Q4 arrival in 2024 for the Escalade IQ as a 2025 model-year vehicle.
How much will the Escalade IQ cost?
Cadillac has not announced pricing for the Escalade IQ and may not confirm it until the vehicle enters production. We expect the Escalade IQ to command a premium above the standard 4WD Escalade, which starts at $84,190. That should put the starting price point above $100,000.
