Entry-Level Cadillac Electric SUV
The 2025 Cadillac Optiq is the luxury brand’s latest all-electric offering, slotting-in below the brand’s first EV, the 2023 Lyriq, that hit showrooms in mid-summer 2022. Cadillac invited the automotive press to the Millwick in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles to showcase what they say is the “entry point into luxury for the next generation of EV buyers.”
Clean Fleet Report will write a more detailed review of the Optiq EV, including driving impressions and real-world electric range, when we have had the chance to get behind the wheel sometime in late 2024. Until then, here are some compact luxury crossover EV highlights.
Developed from the ground-up as a fully electric SUV using the Ultium Battery Platform
Built and sold in China since 2023
U.S. model to be built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
All-Wheel Drive
Two trims: Sport and Luxury
What the Optiq Brand Team Said
Tom Schinderle – Lead Development Engineer – Tom is responsible for all the performance metrics and hardware on the Optiq. His goal is to integrate all the systems to “make the Optiq a wonderful product.” I asked about the tires that come in either 20-in or 21-inch sizes.
“They are a self-sealing, dual compound offering a stiffer sidewall for agility, and the tread compound is a specially formulated synthetic compound that helps to reduce rolling resistance.” The Continental Cross Contact all-season tires seal small punctures, but there “are huge performance benefits, too. They help with reducing noise and vibration by dampening-out road feedback, and high frequency input by reducing tire shake from impacts. These are benefits we don’t always promote, but as the lead development engineer, when I see a sealant tire, I get really excited!”
John Cockburn – Chief Engineer
“The chief engineer’s role is to understand who the customer is. With the research that is done, the team first had to identify who the luxury EV entry buyer would be. They found it would be “a younger person or older Millennial that is looking for a vehicle that is engaging, youthful and sporty with superb handling characteristics.”
“We designed a car that is all about luxury first, with enough range; 300 miles is what we targeted. I am blessed with an amazing team, among them Tom (Schinderle), who we call affectionately “Blackwing Tom” as his background was the ride and handling for the Cadillac Blackwing. I told him I wanted the Optiq to not necessarily feel like an EV, but want it to feel really light, engaging, planted and with great handling characteristics. For us, that is luxury.”
Mara Kapsis – Interior Lead CMS Designer: Color, Material, Finish – Mara told us how fabric and surfaces were integrated in the Optiq interior.
“Our fabric is called Collection, which is 100-percent polyester recycled yarn that comes from a variety of originating sources. The studio team would take the fabric that has different textures, patterns and colors and form them over shapes to assist in how the surfaces were developed. One example is the center console where the fabric has a high gloss finish—and how it looked completely different than when on the door trim or where it wrapped onto the instrument panel.”
“Carpet also is where we have integrated repurposed fibers designed for wear and durability. Another material used in storage areas is called Tide, a propriety non-woven material that creates a wonderful soft surface that has been treated with a soil resistant finish that can be cleaned with a mild soap and water. For the seats, we have purposely moved away from leather and use a premium synthetic material called Interlux that is heated and ventilated.”
Hoon Kim – Exterior Design Manager – The Ultium battery platform is currently used on several SUV EVs, including the Chevrolet Blazer and Equinox, Cadillac Lyriq, Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX. We asked Hoon Kim what restrictions he was under to make the Optiq different from these others, almost needing to design in a vacuum.
“The things you listed as restrictors, in the Optiq case they were actually enablers. We learned from the engineering team, at the beginning of the program, of the capability of dynamic handling and the sporty feel. This was our inspiration to design the exterior of the Optiq. We knew we were going to have something really special (for Cadillac) so our goal was to match the design with the Optiq’s character. It is fun and engaging to drive, and we wanted it to look that way.”
Power
Dual electric motors driving all four wheels
Horsepower: 300
Torque: 354 pound-feet
Range
300 all-electric miles estimated by Cadillac. EPA estimates not available.
Battery and Charging
Lithium-ion battery with 85 kWh of useable battery energy
On-board charger: 11.5kW standard; 19.2kW optional
DC fast charger: 79 miles of range can be added in 10 minutes
Level 2, 240V
– 24 miles per hour at 7.7 kW
– 33 miles per hour at 22.5 kW
– 55 miles per hour w/19.2 kW on-board charger
Regenerative Braking with One Pedal Driving
Features: Interior
Seating for five adults with a flat rear floor
Power, heated and ventilated front seats
33-inch curved diagonal LED display with 9k resolution
FM with SiriusXM available (No AM radio)
19-speaker AKG audio system
Google Built-in with Google Assistant and Maps (No Apple CarPlay or Android Auto)
Features: Exterior
Walk-up and walk-away, front and rear lighting sequences
1,500-pound tow rating
5,192-pound curb weight
Continental Cross Contact all-season tires:Sport trim: 245/50/20
Luxury trim: 275/40/21
Driver Assistance
SuperCruise for hands-free driving. Demonstrated here.
Radar, cameras and ultrasonic sensing to monitor exterior conditions
Safety
The Optiq comes standard advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) of adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning and steering assist, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist departure warning and forward collision alert.
As with all General Motors vehicles, the Optiq will be equipped with OnStar. A simple push of a button connects to a friendly representative to handle emergencies, directions and general assistance to make your driving experience safer and more enjoyable.
Pricing and Availability
The 2025 Cadillac Optiq, built at the General Motors assembly plant inRamos Arizpe, Mexico, is slated to be on sale in fall 2024, priced starting around $54,000, including the mandatory destination fee.
Observations: 2025 Cadillac Optiq EV
General Motors is on a roll, announcing several battery electric vehicles being built on the all-new, dedicated Ultium EV Platform. So far the GMC Hummer, Chevrolet Blazer and Equinox, Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Silverado are currently on the road, and the Cadillac Escalade IQ and GMC Sierra EV Denali hitting dealers in late 2024. Expect there to be more battery electric Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles announced in the coming months and years.
Our take, after seeing it up close at the reveal event, is it should feel right to first-time electric vehicle buyers. The size, driving range, charging speed and Cadillac premium look, touch and feel will appeal to those not wanting too large of an SUV but needing something more than a sedan.
Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews, including a full report on its performance, charging speed, and driving range after having driven the 2025 Cadillac Optiq EV.
Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Cadillac.
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