Cadillac Celestiq: What we know about the luxury electric Caddy so far

Cadillac teased its new electric vehicle, the Celestiq, which is expected to be the next all-electric luxury vehicle from Cadillac, "represents the purest expression of Cadillac design, technology, and performance," the automaker claimed.

Cadillac's new electric vehicle is in accordance with the company's owner General Motors' commitment to spend $20 billion on electric vehicles to compete with Tesla. 

Cadillac has just started production of the Lyriq, its first all-electric vehicle and GM's second electric vehicle, which are both based on GM's new Ulitum electric platform.

The platform powers various vehicle types and sizes, including the GMC Hummer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and BrightDrop delivery vehicles.

GM aims to electrify Cadillac swiftly with Ulitum, as the company teased a new sedan even before delivering its electric SUV, Lyriq, which is expected to be delivered in 2023. The Celestiq will probably come sometime in 2024.

The details show that the electric vehicle has a similar design to the Lyriq.

"From its unique proportions and a new effortless, sophisticated form language, to the precision and attention to detail, CELESTIQ is unlike anything on the road today," said Magalie Debellis, manager, Cadillac Branded Advanced Design. "From its inception, the CELESTIQ show car was crafted to reincarnate the 'Standard of the World,'" he added.

The Celestiq will also be the first to include GM's new Ultra Cruise advanced driver-assist system, which the automaker claims will cover "95 percent" of driving scenarios.

Cadillac's first EV

The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq started production this year at GM's Spring Hill, Tennessee assembly facility, which is receiving a $2 billion investment to support electric vehicle production. An additional $2.3 billion is being invested in an all-new battery cell manufacturing plant at Spring Hill by Ultium Cells, the joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution.

A new ad campaign featuring the 2023 Cadillac LYRIQ debuted during the Oscars broadcast in April.

While GM is investing heavily in electrifying its showcase, 150 GM dealerships in the US decided to drop the Cadillac brand. While some might argue this is a significant blow for the EV industry, the truth is that it's more likely a sign of changing times. EV makers aren't typically bound to physical dealerships and their owners in the same way that traditional brands are.