Another luxury brand wavers on ambitious EV goals

General Motors’ luxury brand Cadillac mightn’t have an electric-only lineup by 2030 after all.

“EVs and ICE (internal combustion engine), we want to be clear, will coexist for a number of years,” global Cadillac vice president John Roth said last week in remarks reported by Detroit Free Press.

“We want to make sure that we have that luxury of choice in the marketplace and both will have an opportunity to meet the customer needs as we look forward.”

“We are always listening to the customer. We are still on strategy of offering an all-EV portfolio by the end of the decade and we’re going to listen to the customer and let them be our guide. That’s our answer.”

Optiq

Cadillac director of communications Mike Albano further clarified the brand’s earlier commitments to an EV-only lineup from 2030 were “a mission statement, if you will”.

“The fact that we refreshed our ICE portfolio should tell you that we knew the transition is going to be slow, the transition will be led by the customer,” he said.

Mr Roth’s and Mr Albano’s remarks suggest combustion-powered Cadillacs could survive beyond 2030, the previously announced cutoff date for ICE vehicles in its lineup, based on consumer demand.

“We will be leaving this decade as an EV brand, as things stand today, which means that we will not be selling ICE vehicles by 2030,” said Mr Roth’s predecessor, Rory Harvey, back in 2021 in remarks reported by Automotive News.

Lyriq

Even if Cadillac delays its changeover, that’s unlikely to affect its plans to have a full range of electric SUVs.

The brand already offers the Lyriq, which serves as an electric counterpart to its petrol-powered XT5 but on a different, dedicated electric platform.

It has also revealed electric alternatives to its other North American SUVs – the XT4, XT6 and Escalade – with the new Optiq, Vistiq and Escalade iQ.

It has only revealed one electric passenger car, however, in the ultra-luxury Celestiq flagship. That leaves the CT4, CT5 and China-exclusive CT6 sedans without electric counterparts for now, though previous reports have indicated electric sedans are coming.

Vistiq

The remarks from Cadillac management this month come as luxury brands are having to adjust ambitious EV goals in light of cooling demand.

Mercedes-Benz recently delayed a target of 50 per cent electric sales from 2025 to 2030. Bentley delayed the end of ICE sales from 2030 to 2033, though it blamed technical issues and not demand.

Aston Martin has also delayed its first EV and committed to selling ICE vehicles well into the 2030s, while rolling out plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

Escalade iQ

It’s unclear whether Cadillac will introduce PHEVs as a transition technology. Parent General Motors confirmed this year it would introduce PHEV versions of ‘select’ models in the coming year, but didn’t specify which.

“Let me be clear, GM remains committed to eliminating tailpipe emissions from our light-duty vehicles by 2035, but, in the interim, deploying plug-in technology in strategic segments will deliver some of the environment or environmental benefits of EVs as the nation continues to build this charging infrastructure,” said GM CEO Mary Barra in an investor call.

“We are timing the launches to help us comply with the more stringent fuel economy and tailpipe emission standards that are being proposed.

“And we plan to deliver the program in a capital- and cost-efficient way because the technology is already in production in other markets.”

2014 Cadillac ELR

Cadillac has offered PHEVs before in the short-lived ELR coupe and CT6 sedan, but it no longer offers any – even in China, which is understood to be the brand’s largest market.

While petrol-powered Cadillacs may be around for some time yet, the brand reiterated earlier this year it will launch in Australia as an EV-only brand.

“From a product portfolio standpoint it doesn’t change here,” GM Australia and New Zealand managing director Jess Bala told CarExpert.

“So even though we’re hearing reports that EV demand is slowing in the US, it does not change our plans at all.”

Lyriq

Cadillac is due in Australia later in 2024, launching initially with the Lyriq crossover. It says announcements on additional models will come towards the end of the year or early next year.

“We want to get [the] Lyriq out and do an awesome job with [the] Lyriq first as well,” said Ms Bala.

“We do want to obviously give that incredible car its time as well, but also want to give everyone the confidence knowing that it’s not just one entry, we have more amazing cars coming.”

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