The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will have 750 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque.Courtesy of manufacturer
Cadillac unveiled the all-electric Escalade IQ full-size SUV on Wednesday. The brand’s third EV, which follows in the footsteps of the smaller Lyriq SUV and the Celestiq sedan, launches as the luxury automaker transitions to an all-electric future by 2030.
“Cadillac’s strong product lineup is driving global growth. Total global sales are up 9.5 per cent calendar year-to-date with places like Canada experiencing its best calendar year-to-date in sales ever,” said John Roth, vice-president of Global Cadillac during the Escalade IQ reveal in Sterling Heights, Mich.
The 2025 Escalade IQ is a three-row electric SUV that plays in a segment with few competitors and high price tags. The Tesla Model X owns that space, but new players are coming to the market including the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, the Rivian R1S and the Lucid Gravity. While General Motors didn’t reveal the price for the Escalade IQ, the Model X and EQS SUV start at more than $135,000 and the gas-powered Escalade starts at more than $120,000.
Cadillac also plans to unveil two more EVs before the end of the year, which Roth hinted will likely include a long-wheel-based version of the Escalade IQ. The Escalade IQ preproduction model on display, which isn’t the long-wheel-based version, is massive and true to Cadillac’s roots. It’s big, brawny and even though it’s electric, will likely lose some of its environmental friendliness because of its monster size and proportions, although there’s no word yet on many details such as the weight of the vehicle or the weight of the battery.
The Escalade IQ is enormous and commanding in its stature similar to the gas-powered version, but the IQ has a huge dark front grille and tiny Cadillac crest, vertical LED headlights and a distinct lighting sequence that emerges when approaching or leaving the vehicle. From the side, it’s reminiscent of a Land Rover with its boxy shape, taut lines and huge 24-inch wheels. At 5-foot-5, the long, front hood reached above the top of my shoulders. A front trunk, or frunk, with up to 340 litres of space can fit easily a set of golf clubs under the hood.
At the heart of the Escalade IQ is GM’s Ultium battery architecture – it’s the same technology used in the Lyriq and all GM EVs moving forward. It’s a dual-motor electric-all-wheel-drive system with a 24-module Ultium battery and more than 200 kilowatt-hours of available energy. It’ll produce up to 750 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque and be able to hit 100 kilometres per hour in less than five seconds. GM estimated it will have an electric range of up to 724 kilometres and tow up to 8,000 pounds. It will also have one-pedal driving and a heat pump thermal system that allows energy to transfer between the battery/power electronics and the cabin.
The front trunk on the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ has 340 litres of space that can fit a set of golf clubs under the hood.Courtesy of manufacturer
Inside, there are luxurious appointments and technology-rich touches including a curved 55-inch diagonal LED display that stretches from pillar to pillar and includes a passenger screen for watching movies, which isn’t visible from the driver’s seat.
The display model included an executive second-row seating package with two large sculpted seats, stowable tray tables, dual 12.6-inch personal screens on the rear headrests, a rear command centre screen, two wireless phone charging pads, massaging seats and headrest speakers. The seats are power operated and can move forward and tilt up to access the third-row seats. While we couldn’t sit or demo that feature, the third row allows for seven passengers and folds flat for more storage, but it looks tight on legroom. A large fixed sunroof spans over the first and second row, making it feel airy; while new customizable ambient lighting with 126 colour choices adds sophistication to the cabin.
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ has a curved 55-inch diagonal LED display that stretches from pillar to pillar.Courtesy of manufacturer
The Escalade IQ will have Adaptive Air Ride Suspension, which enables the vehicle to be lowered up to five centimetres and raised 2.5, four-wheel steer, blind zone steering assist, enhanced automatic parking assist and Super Cruise, GM’s semi-autonomous hands-free driver assistance system which lets drivers travel hands-free on more than 640,000 km of highways in the U.S. and Canada. The system can accelerate or brake the vehicle to maintain a safe gap from a vehicle ahead and can steer to maintain lane position using the vehicle’s LiDAR map data, real-time cameras, radars and the GPS system. And the coding on some of GM’s Super Cruise features come from GM’s Canadian Technical Centres in Oshawa and Markham, Ont.
Unfortunately, you won’t find Apple Car Play or Android Auto inside. In fact, all Cadillac EVs moving forward will not offer either. Instead, they’ll be replaced with Google Built-in with Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play.
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will be built at GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center in Michigan, starting next spring.
Tech specs
2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ
- Price: To be announced
- Motors/drive: Two-motor eAWD system / All-wheel drive
- Battery capacity: To be announced
- Charging time: 10 minutes for up to 160 km of range (350-kilowatt DC fast charger)
- Power/torque: up to 750 / up to 785 lb-ft
- Claimed Range: 724 km
- Alternatives: Tesla Model X, 2024 Lucid Gravity, Rivian R1S, Mercedes-Benz EQS
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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