2014 Cadillac ELR

2014 ELR Photos
The 2014 Cadillac ELR is an all-new electrically powered luxury sport coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt's extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) platform and powertrain. Yet it carries a starting sticker price nearly twice as high.

Whether that can be justified depends on your priorities and pocketbook. On the plus side, this very sharp-looking ELR is much sexier than the Volt and offers more athletic handling, somewhat stronger performance, a true luxury interior, a plethora of features and the upscale Cadillac badge and image. On the down side, it's a tight-back-seat two-door with a near-$80K price tag.

Most automakers now market pure electric (battery only) vehicles or gas-electric parallel hybrids, but only GM offers extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs: the Chevrolet Volt and this new Cadillac ELR. Operating as series hybrids (the engine powers an electric generator, not the drive wheels) most of the time, both run on battery energy alone for the first 30-40 miles before an 84-hp 1.4-liter gas four-cylinder fires up to drive a 55 kW generator to keep them going. Total system output is 162 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque.

Pure electric vehicles are expensive (mostly due to high battery cost) and have the dual drawbacks of limited range and long battery recharge times, sometimes leading to range anxiety: the fear of running out of volts before you run out of trip. Parallel hybrids, which save fuel by efficiently blending battery electric and engine power, cost less than EVs but more than conventional vehicles, and even pricier plug-in parallel hybrids with larger batteries for more electric-only range typically consume some fuel even on short, slow trips.

The advantage of an EREV is that it drives those first 30-40 miles before consuming the first drop of fuel. Owners with short commutes to work can recharge overnight and avoid using any gasoline, driving to and from work in electric mode. Run the battery down and the engine starts, it becomes a fuel-efficient car that will go as far as its tank of gas will take it, so no range anxiety. You need only refill the gas tank; there's no need to recharge the battery until the next convenient opportunity. In short, it's a great setup. The major disadvantage is high price from a large, expensive battery and a lot of added cost in its dual propulsion systems and the hardware and software that make it work.

But why is the ELR twice the price of the Volt? Partly because it's a Cadillac and not a Chevrolet. Partly because the ELR boasts a leather-lined Cadillac cabin, ride-smoothing and handling-enhancing Continuous Damping Control with selectable modes, Regen on Demand steering-wheel paddles that slow the car when you want (while regenerating energy back to the battery), and a lot more that the Volt doesn't.

Cadillac has been building its brand image around the mantra of Art and Science (meaning high style and technology) since its sharp-edged 1999 Evoq concept sports car, which evolved into the 2004 Cadillac XLR sports car followed …
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The 2014 Cadillac ELR is an all-new electrically powered luxury sport coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt's extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) platform and powertrain. Yet it carries a starting sticker price nearly twice as high.

Whether that can be justified depends on your priorities and pocketbook. On the plus side, this very sharp-looking ELR is much sexier than the Volt and offers more athletic handling, somewhat stronger performance, a true luxury interior, a plethora of features and the upscale Cadillac badge and image. On the down side, it's a tight-back-seat two-door with a near-$80K price tag.

Most automakers now market pure electric (battery only) vehicles or gas-electric parallel hybrids, but only GM offers extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs: the Chevrolet Volt and this new Cadillac ELR. Operating as series hybrids (the engine powers an electric generator, not the drive wheels) most of the time, both run on battery energy alone for the first 30-40 miles before an 84-hp 1.4-liter gas four-cylinder fires up to drive a 55 kW generator to keep them going. Total system output is 162 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque.

Pure electric vehicles are expensive (mostly due to high battery cost) and have the dual drawbacks of limited range and long battery recharge times, sometimes leading to range anxiety: the fear of running out of volts before you run out of trip. Parallel hybrids, which save fuel by efficiently blending battery electric and engine power, cost less than EVs but more than conventional vehicles, and even pricier plug-in parallel hybrids with larger batteries for more electric-only range typically consume some fuel even on short, slow trips.

The advantage of an EREV is that it drives those first 30-40 miles before consuming the first drop of fuel. Owners with short commutes to work can recharge overnight and avoid using any gasoline, driving to and from work in electric mode. Run the battery down and the engine starts, it becomes a fuel-efficient car that will go as far as its tank of gas will take it, so no range anxiety. You need only refill the gas tank; there's no need to recharge the battery until the next convenient opportunity. In short, it's a great setup. The major disadvantage is high price from a large, expensive battery and a lot of added cost in its dual propulsion systems and the hardware and software that make it work.

But why is the ELR twice the price of the Volt? Partly because it's a Cadillac and not a Chevrolet. Partly because the ELR boasts a leather-lined Cadillac cabin, ride-smoothing and handling-enhancing Continuous Damping Control with selectable modes, Regen on Demand steering-wheel paddles that slow the car when you want (while regenerating energy back to the battery), and a lot more that the Volt doesn't.

Cadillac has been building its brand image around the mantra of Art and Science (meaning high style and technology) since its sharp-edged 1999 Evoq concept sports car, which evolved into the 2004 Cadillac XLR sports car followed …
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Retail Price

$75,000 - $75,000 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine
MPG Up to 31 city / 35 highway
Seating 4 Passengers
Transmission 1-spd auto
Power 157 @ rpm
Drivetrain front-wheel
Curb Weight 4,050 lbs
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