Cadillac has unveiled the all-electric version of its iconic Escalade, the Escalade IQ.
That word “iconic” gets thrown around a lot when discussing automotive nameplates. You might expect cars like the Mustang or the Corvette to be “iconic”, given their 50-plus years of history winning hearts and various races - but an Escalade? That’s a decidedly modern thing.
We think the term is fitting here, though. Sure, the Escalade is a vehicle that earned its icon status rather recently. It was one of the first “luxury” SUVs to capture the zeitgeist - a stately symbol of success, both subdued in its styling and excessive in its heft, an avatar for rappers and heads of state and yes, airport Uber drivers. In an era when Cadillac struggled to define itself apart from its European competitors, the Escalade was an asterisk. It was a cultural juggernaut, an icon. And Cadillac’s best seller.
So it’s no small thing then to swap the heart of the Escalade for something a little friendlier for our future, and repackage the vehicle from the ground up as something new. This is perhaps Cadillac’s most important model, and this new IQ is the vision for its way forward. So what does a former symbol of excess look like in an era of electrification?
Well, it looks like a symbol of excess. This Escalade is huge, and an astonishing 9,000lbs. It has enough illumination on the grill to converse with aliens in a close encounter. The interior features a 55” infotainment screen. It has a Low Ride mode, able to ride at its lowest air-suspension ride height at low speeds. In other words, low and slow. It has 4-wheel steering, and it can use that party trick to “crab walk” diagonally into a valet stand, something Cadillac calls “Arrival” Mode. Someone will surely turn this into a gif for sliding into your DMs.
The starting price is also sort of excessive at $130,000. Or is it? After all, this is a lot of car. Cadillac is also selling the “CELESTIQ” at $340,000. 130-grand just doesn’t go as far today as it used to.
Speaking of going far, this Escalade brings an estimated 450 miles of range. That’ll get you there, no doubt. Careful not to confuse this long range with efficiency, because this Escalade IQ needs a 200kWh battery to move you that distance, one of the largest of any EV on sale today. You’ll spend more time at the charger, although Cadillac does mitigate this with a state-of-the-art 800 volt architecture. On the right charger, that’ll give you 100 miles back in just 10 minutes.
This Cadi has a lot of features, so let’s hit you with a list of what we believe to be the most notable:
The Escalade IQ also features a suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features, including:
The Escalade IQ is expected to go onsale in summer of 2024.
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