Cadillac unveils sleek, all-electric ESCALADE IQ with a big battery, big range, and a price tag to match
GM luxury brand Cadillac publicly unveiled its upcoming, all-electric version of the Escalade in front of a crowd in New York this morning. The ESCALADE IQ is a far cry from the vehicle synonymous with music videos and transportation services the past 24 years, but in the best way. Cadillac has reimagined what is arguably its most iconic model for the all-electric age, and its engineering teams fingerprints are on every single square-inch. It’s a true marvel in large EVs, but it comes at a hefty price tag.
It’s been over a year since Cadillac originally announced it was developing an all-electric version of its long-running full-size SUV called the ESCALADE IQ. Aside from the new all-caps nomenclature and “IQ” suffix to match other Cadillac BEV models like the LYRIQ and CELESTIQ, all we really got from GM at the time was the name itself.
We made some performance predictions of what to expect at the time, like a 200 kWh+ battery pack (check), but like most specifics in journalism, you don’t know until you actually know. Cadillac had remained relatively quiet about the electric ESCALADE IQ until this past June, when it started teasing video footage of the SUVs headlamps, building anticipation for today’s unveiling.
Earlier this week, Cadillac’s parent company GM announced that all future BEV models on its Ultium platform will come equipped with bi-directional vehicle-to-home (V2H) capabilities, including the 2025 ESCALADE IQ which was mentioned specifically.
Today, we can confirm the new electric ESCALADE will offer V2H charging, as well as a slew of other new and exciting design and performance elements. Have a look.
Cadillac shows it’s all in with all-electric ESCALADE IQ
I got the invite to attend the official unveiling of the ESCALADE IQ in New York City this morning and speak with the large SUV’s Chief Engineer and veteran GM employee Mandi Damman. There’s a lot to unfold here, so let’s dig in.
First things first, let’s start with the overall look of this new Escalade, reborn for the all electric age. Cadillac’s designers told us the transition into a BEV gave the team the freedom of a blank slate approach, picking and choosing the most recognizable elements to the brand, while binning the unnecessary stuff… you know like a gas tank, engine, transmission, etc.
The result is a BEV that maintains the DNA of Cadillac’s first large SUV, but sports a sleeker, streamlined look that offers the low ride and aerodynamics necessary for ample BEV range (more on that in a bit). In front of the audience in New York, GM President Mark Reuss was already touting the electric SUV as its best driving and most maneuverable Escalade to date.
As you may notice from the images above, Cadillac says it pushed the wheels further to the corners of the Ultium platform for a more planted stance, which also creates a longer wheelbase. The engineers also pushed the passenger compartment back 11 inches offering more room inside.
The hood has been stretched and the rear slanted to offer a new look for the relatively boxy Escalades’s of old, once again contributing to its vital aerodynamics. Cadillac’s engineers shared that they were able to reduce the drag coefficient of the ESCALADE IQ by 15% compared to its combustion predecessor. I sat down with the new electric SUV’s Chief Engineer Mandi Damman and asked her what she is personally most proud of in the vehicle, which she described to me as her “third baby” behind her two actual children:
I’d have to say it’s the overall driving experience because I get caught up in this and then you get in one and the vehicle just shrinks around you, right? Everybody walks up to it and they’re like, ‘wow, this presence and this stance,’ but you get in and it feels small. It’s a full size SUV but that’s what I really love – there were zero compromises. It’s got all the technology that we wanted, there is no base model, it’s all in and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the media drives.
I can’t wait either, Mandi.
Next, let’s peep the ESCALADE IQ’s interior for a second. First thing you’ll notice when you enter the cabin (and in the images above) is the pillar-to-pillar 55-inch diagonal LED display which is split between a 35-inch screen for the driver and a 20-inch screen for the front passenger.
The entire display is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon and sits above a cantilevered center console that appears suspended in the air, offering space below for belongings or according to Damman, a cooler accessory to keep your kombucha cold (what do Escalade drivers drink?).
The rear seats feature HDMI connections, plus rear displays with access to the internet and streaming apps. The rear center touch screen gives passengers access to climate control and the ability to automatically open and close the doors (with child lock I assume!).
Optional add-ons include a 40-speaker AKG system delivering 360-degree sound throughout the cabin – that’s six more speakers than the AKG system in the current premium Escalades. Take that!
In addition to 212 cubic feet of cargo volume in the interior, the electric ESCALADE IQ boasts a massive frunk etrunk – offering 12.2 cubic feet of additional cargo space. In my interview with Mandi Damman, she told me she thinks consumers will be most excited by etrunk, which can easily hold two golf bags or a large stroller.
I asked about the possibility of it doubling as a cooler, and she told me Cadillac designed a specific tray that can pull out with a rubber liner add on for groceries, cold drinks, etc. Combine that with the V2L add on and the 2025 ESCALADE IQ may be the new tailgate vehicle! Probably not, though…
Other features
There are several innovative features coming to the ESCALADE IQ in addition to V2H charging. We learned that vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities will also come available as an add-on option for future customers backed by GM’s Ultify Software which will enable over-the-air (OTA) updates.
One of the cooler features showcased today is the electric ESCALADE IQ’s independent front and rear suspension. This dual-motor system not only offers eAWD, but utilizes four wheel steering to turn on a dime. Mandi Damman shared that this feature enabled engineers to reduced the ESCALADE IQ’s turning diameter by 6.5 feet to just 39.4 feet in all, during slow speeds.
GM President Mark Reuss said the electric Escalade’s turn diameter is now shorter than some sedans. The technology also enhances stability and handling at high speeds when trailering for instance. Check it out:
Standard four wheel steering also enables the all-electric ESCALADE IQ to perform “Arrival Mode,” which is Cadillac’s version of “Crab Walk” first showcased on the GMC Hummer EV. This mode allows the large SUV to drive diagonally at slow speeds to get in and out of tight spots. You can see it in action at around the (2:30) mark in the long form video at the bottom.
Alright, moving on. Another truly interesting feature present in this new Escalade is GM’s Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, bolstered by an Adaptive Air Suspension. The system instantaneously adapts the suspension to adapt to uneven road surfaces to “isolate passengers from undesirable road conditions while providing precise steering and feel.” It’s tough to grasp the smoothness of this technology unless you see it, hence why we included Cadillac’s video showcasing it below. You’re welcome.
Smooth, right? Look at that side profile while we’re at it, and tell me that if you didn’t see the front, you’d know that was an Escalade? Doubt it. One more factor in regard to the adaptive air suspension. Future ESCALADE IQ owners will be back to raise the SUV an inch, or lower it two inches for enhanced capabilities in Low Ride Mode.
Electric Cadillac ESCALADE IQ specs and pricing
Alright, time for the bread and butter – the specs (so far). According to Cadillac, these are the performance specifications it expects to deliver with its first electric large SUV:
- 24-module Ultium battery pack
- 200 kWh of usable energy
- Estimated range up to 450 miles (724 km)
- Up to 750 estimated horsepower (in Velocity Max Mode)
- Estimated torque up to 785 lb-ft (in Velocity Max Mode)
- 0-60 in under 5 seconds (in Velocity Max Mode)
- 800V DC fast charging
- 240V (7.7 kW) – Approx. 14.8 miles of range per hour of charge
- 240V (19.2 kW) – Approx. 37 miles of range per hour of charge
- DCFC (Public) – Up to 100 miles of range per 10 minutes of charge
- 8,000 lb estimated towing capacity
- Comes equipped with V2H, Super Cruise, 4 wheel steering standard
- V2L available as an add-on
But what about pricing? As GM’s luxury brand, an MSRP for a vehicle donning the Cadillac badge is usually on the higher end, but what about a completely bespoke all-electric large SUV like the ESCALADE IQ?
When plans for the new BEV were first announced, we compared it to the combustion version which starts at $80,000 but is usually priced around $100,000 with add-ons. We of course figured it would cost more than $80k… but perhaps not $50,000 more.
That’s right, the new all-electric ESCALADE IQ will start at a whopping $130,000. That’s over $15,000 more than the starting MSRP of the higher end combustion Escalade ESV, but really not a huge leap when you think about the fact that it’s an all-in BEV with plenty of standard luxury features.
Looking ahead, Cadillac executives say the GM brand will have more exciting BEV news “very soon,” so stay tuned on that. I, of course, asked Damman if she could share anything about what’s next, but all I got was that more Cadillac BEVs are coming, and this is probably not the only version of the ESCALADE IQ we will see.
Until we learn more, you can start saving your pennies if you want to get your hands on Cadillac’s first all-electric ESCALADE IQ. Before that, check out a closer look in the video below:
Electrek’s Take
I admittedly have never been a huge fan of the Cadillac brand or its vehicles, even the Escalade, but I genuinely like this SUV. A lot.
Would I pay $130,000 for it? Probably not. I would probably go for a Rivian, personally, but I gravitate more to that brand’s ethos rather than the high end luxury of Cadillac. The R1S has also begun deliveries, too. Can GM deliver this massive BEV to market?
That’s the biggest question mark here in my opinion, as we’ve seen similar sized GM EVs slowly roll out, like the GMC Hummer EV pickup and SUV. I supposed when you’re charging over $100k a pop, you don’t have to deliver as many, but so far – we’ve seen a lot of sizzle and less tangible steak from GM on the EV market.
Cadillac, however, has done well so far with the LYRIQ. I can’t think of a more clear statement that the luxury brand is all-in on EVs than electrifying the model synonymous with its marque. On paper and at a relatively close look (I couldn’t get inside), the all-electric ESCALADE IQ is a gorgeous and well designed large SUV – I just can’t help but wonder who the targeted consumer is here.
This is going to be one to watch for sure. Looking forward to seeing how it drives.
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Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China.
China Stringer Network | Reuters
Like the U.S., Europe is also feeling the pressure to keep China sweet in order to maintain supplies of rare earth elements, which are vital for its strategic industries in the region such as auto production, green energy and defense.
Europe is heavily dependent on China for supplies of the world’s 17 rare earth elements and has been looking to calm stormy waters with Beijing over supplies, while looking for alternative sources of critical minerals — including in its own back yard.
That’s a long process, however, and for now, Europe is as vulnerable as other major consumers of rare earths, and particularly the U.S., when it comes to Beijing’s ability to turn the tap off on supplies.
Officials from Germany and the Netherlands are in Beijing this week for talks with their Chinese counterparts on China’s controls on rare earths exports and semiconductor chips which have made European industries vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions.
China dominates the rare earths market from mining to refining, with data from the International Energy Agency showing that, in 2024, China was responsible for 59% of the world’s rare earths mining, 91% of its refining and 94% of the manufacuring of permanent magnets which are commonly used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial motors, data centers and defense systems.
As the world’s single largest supplier of a component that’s critical to so much manufacturing, China’s dominance has made “global supply chains in strategic sectors – such as energy, automotive, defense and AI data centres – vulnerable to potential disruptions,” the IEA noted.
That potential for disruption came to the fore this year when, in April and October, Beijing announced licensing requirements, and later export controls, on its rare earth supplies and technologies.
Those controls were suspended for a year as a result of a trade truce reached in October between China and the U.S. reached but major rare earth importers such as the U.S. and EU, which imports around 70% of rare earth supplies — and almost all of its rare earth magnets — from China, are all too aware of its vulnerabilities to geopolitical disruptions.
Barriers to diversification
Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc was launching the “RESourceEU” plan aimed at reducing reliance on critical raw materials from China “in the short, medium and long term.” She said the bloc could do this by recycling existing raw materials, such as those in batteries, and by joint purchasing to stockpiling.
Von der Leyen also said the EU would boost investment in strategic projects “for the production and processing of critical raw materials here in Europe,” and would speed up work on critical raw materials partnerships with countries like Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Chile and Greenland.
“The world we face today rewards speed, not hesitation, because today’s world is unforgiving. And the global economy is completely different than it was even a few years ago. Europe cannot do things the same way anymore. We learned this lesson painfully with energy; we will not repeat it with critical materials,” she said, referencing the bloc’s reliance, before the Ukraine war, on Russian oil and gas.
Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, told CNBC Monday that the bloc was working to diversify its rare earth supplies but that this would take time.
“I would say there is some positive news, so China has suspended now for 12 months those additional export controls, which were announced in October, which gives us some time. But I also would say it emphasizes the need for the EU to diversify its rare earth and critical minerals supplies, because of many on those rare earths, we are depending more than 90% on China’s supplies,” Dombrovskis said.
Necessity the mother of invention?
Europe itself has reserves of rare earth materials with deposits found in Turkey, Sweden and Norway but the problem is that it doesn’t have the operations to mine those materials, let alone refine and process them — unlike China, which has decades of experience, investment and infrastructure that has fueled its global processing dominance.
Europe is also more encumbered with long approval processes and environmental standards when it comes to mining, meaning any regional plans to develop those rare earth deposits could take years. Public opposition is also a factor that has not shackled China.
A view of the NEO magnetic plant in Narva, a city in northeastern Estonia. A plant producing rare-earth magnets for Europe’s electric vehicle and wind-energy sectors.
Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images
The need to diversify from China quickly could cause officials to lower those barriers, however and there are already signs of action, with Europe’s first rare earth magnet production plant being opened in Estonia in September. Backed by funding from both Canada and the EU, the plant’s raw materials are coming from Australia and Malaysia.
“There’s probably a lot more deposits in Europe but … there are barriers to bringing that online,” Willis Thomas, principal consultant at CRU Group, told CNBC.
“But if we’re getting into a world where risks are being realized on trade tensions, I think that that will continue to push everyone to build out the supply chain and a bit more resilience on it, but it does take some time, and there’s limited expertise.”
What’s also worrying for Europe is that being unable to control the sources and supply of raw materials could mean that its technological and green ambitions suffer.
“Europe’s race towards net zero and digital leadership depend on materials it does not control,” Hamed Ghiaie, professor of Economics and Public Policy at ESCP Europe, and Filippo Gorelli, an analyst at Nexans, said in analysis for the World Economic Forum.
“For decades, Europe treated raw materials as a commodity issue, rather than a strategic one. That complacency is becoming costly,” they added.
“What is at stake is climate targets and economic resilience. Shortages of rare earths, gallium or germanium could slow semiconductor fabrication, AI development and even wind-power installation. In short, Europe cannot build a green or digital future on supply chains it doesn’t control,” they concluded.
Aviation startup Electra made history last month when its EL2 became the first hybrid-electric Ultra Short Take-off and Landing (uSTOL) aircraft to successfully complete helicopter-like take-offs and landings at the Watertown International Airport.
Founded to provide affordable air travel without airports, emissions, or noise, Electra’s stated goal was to build an aircraft that could deliver on the promises of eVTOL aircraft at a significantly reduced cost compared to its more drone-like competitors. In that context, the demonstration at Watertown isn’t a publicity stunt, but part of concerted effort to validate Electra’s uSTOL performance under real-world conditions at a commercial airport — exactly the kind of place that regional operators, cargo carriers, and emergency responders actually fly in and out of.
Hitting those marks now will help Electra clear a path for FAA certification and prove that the company can deliver on the $9 billion worth of promises its made (so far).
“Electra is grateful to the team at Watertown International Airport for enabling this demonstration of the EL2’s Ultra Short capabilities in an off-runway capacity,” explains Tom Carto, director of market development at Electra. “Our Ultra Short aircraft will offer the potential to increase the use of general aviation airports and expand the capacity of larger hubs by enabling takeoffs and landings on ramps and taxiways instead of runways, feeding in regional connections without adding to runway congestion. These transformative and practical capabilities will open the door to Direct Aviation and point-to-point connections in a way that will make it easier for people to get from the where they are to where they want to go.”
The EL2’s innovative “blown lift” design features eight electric motors on the plane’s wings, enabling take-off and landing in as little as 150 feet.
Electra says the final version of its aircraft will be able operate from airfields as small as 300 x 100 ft (90 x 30 m), or about one-tenth the length of a standard airport runway. That means that, even if these eSTOL aircraft don’t open up quite as many spaces for air travel as eVTOLs, do, they’ll still be extremely flexible – and more than capable of operating from the roofs of many existing buildings and parking structures.
Obviously
And, of course, the Air Force wants one.
NOTE: in response to some of the comments, I want to point out that the Electra is capable of sustained, electric-only powered flight and uses the genset for remote operations/extended range. I should have made that clearer. This is arguably more EREV than EV.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Electra; via Oswego County Business.
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The US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) closed a $1 billion loan to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1, a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island in Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania.
The money is being loaned to Constellation Energy Generation, which is renaming the 835 megawatt (MW) Three Mile Island Unit 1 the Crane Clean Energy Center. Constellation said in September 2024 that it would restart the reactor under a power purchase agreement with Microsoft, which needs more clean power to feed its growing data-center demand.
The project is estimated to cost around $1.6 billion, and the DOE says the project will create around 600 jobs. The reactor is expected to start generating power again in 2027.
Three Mile Island Unit 1 (in the foreground in the photo above) went offline in 2019 because it could no longer compete with cheaper natural gas, but it wasn’t decommissioned. It’s capable of powering the equivalent of approximately 800,000 homes. It’s on the same site as the Unit 2 reactor (in the background in the photo above) that went into partial nuclear meltdown in 1979, and is known as the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history.
When asked about the loan’s timing, Greg Beard, senior adviser to the Loan Programs Office, told reporters on a call that it would “lower the cost of capital and make power cheaper for those PJM [Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland] ratepayers.” Data centers are driving up electricity costs for consumers.
Read more: DOE props up dying coal with $625M days after Wright mocks clean energy subsidies
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