Cadillac Optiq teased: Brand's entry-level EV will come to the U.S., someday

It may look like a Chevy Blazer EV if you squint a bit, but make no mistake, this is a Cadillac — the new Optiq, to be precise. And it's coming to America, at least eventually. Hey, GM has taken its sweet time (with no small amount of help from the pandemic, granted) building Ultium-based electric vehicles for the masses. Regardless of the circumstances, our skepticism is not without warrant. Caddy's teaser was incredibly brief. Check it out:

“OPTIQ will act as the entry point for Cadillac’s EV lineup in North America, slotting in below LYRIQ as a luxury compact SUV. OPTIQ's spirited driving dynamics are designed to appeal to global luxury customers.  Additional details, features and pricing will be unveiled next year.” 

But the good news is, thanks to GM's dedication to the Chinese market, we already know a few things about the Optiq. The version slated for release in China is 189.8 inches long, 75.3 inches wide, and 64.6 inches tall. That's about seven inches shorter (in length) and  2.5 inches narrower than the Lyriq. That version tips the scales at 4,850 pounds and maxes out at 112 miles per hour. It will be sold there with two front-wheel-drive configurations, one with a 201-horsepower motor, the other boasting 241 ponies. 

The former setup sounds an awful lot like the standard motive system utilized here in the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV. With that motor and the largest available battery pack, the Equinox EV is slated to offer 300 miles of range; we'd expect something similar from the least-expensive variant of the Optiq. Every all-wheel-drive Equinox will come standard with a dual-motor setup that results in a combined output of 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque and 280 miles of range. 

But if you're most interested in that entry-level model, be prepared to wait awhile. Cadillac says we won't get full details on the Optiq until some time in 2024, and if the past few years have taught us anything, it's that the expensive stuff always gets built first. Stay tuned. 

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