After the Lyriq and Celestiq, Cadillac has taken the wraps off its 3rd BEV—the Escalade IQ. It is the brand’s first-ever all-electric full-size SUV, scheduled to go on sale in late 2024 as a 2025 model. Prices are expected to start at US$ 130,000. Cadillac classifies the Escalade IQ we’re seeing here as a pre-production model, but the production model shouldn’t look much different from this.
Speaking of looks, the Escalade IQ follows the design language of its aforementioned BEV siblings; in other words, it looks significantly different from the Escalade we’ve known so far. The front fascia is full of LEDs, as was the case with the Lyriq and the Celestiq. On the side, you can notice that the roof doesn’t slope down aggressively, which means the rear occupants don’t have to struggle for headroom. And, those aerodynamically designed wheels measure 24-inches, the largest ever offered on a Cadillac. At the rear, you got more LEDs, because, why not?
The Escalade IQ measures 5,697 mm long, 2,167 mm wide (excluding mirrors) and 1,934 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3,460 mm. Suspension setup includes air springs and MagneRide dampers, enabling the vehicle to be lowered up to 2-inches (50 mm) and raised 1-inch (25 mm). Standard four-wheel steering system and Cadillac Arrival Mode (diagonal moving capability) should make this huge 5.7 m SUV maneuver with not too much difficulty.
As for the luggage capacity, the frunk is rated at 12.2 cu.ft. or 345.4 litres, and if you fold the second and third rows, the capacity expands to 119.2 cu.ft. or 3,374 litres. Behind the third row, the capacity is 23.7 cu.ft. or 670 litres.
Inside, things seem to have gone out of control—when it comes to the number or sizes of displays; however, let’s not forget that Cadillac is not the only brand doing this. The Snapdragon Cockpit Platform-powered display on the dashboard has a total real estate of 55-inches, this excluding the extra display on the centre console. An optional package for the second-row gets you two 12.6-inch displays, stowable tray tables, dual wireless phone charging pads, USB-C and HDMI ports, massaging seats and headrest speakers.
If you buy the aforementioned package, Cadillac will also offer you the optional 40-speaker AKG Studio Reference audio system. But don’t worry, the base model gets you a 19-speaker AKG Studio audio system and the next trim gets you a 36-speaker AKG Studio Reference audio system, which of course, are more than sufficient. There’s an option to go for automatic doors; if activated, the driver’s door will automatically open as the driver approaches with the key fob.
Standard ADAS suite includes all the usual stuff, including Blind Zone Steering Assist, Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, HD Surround Vision, Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist, and Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking.
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story then, the Escalade IQ is an all-wheel-drive SUV with a motor on each axle, producing combined figures of 505 kW (687 metric hp) and 834 Nm (615 lb-ft) in Normal mode, and 560 kW (761 metric hp) and 1,064 Nm (785 lb-ft) in Velocity Max mode. A 200 kWh, 800-volt battery pack (NCMA cathode, blended graphite anode) is estimated to offer a range of just over 724 km or 450 miles. The Escalade IQ also boasts Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) bidirectional charging technology.
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