After setting foot in Switzerland in October, the American automaker seeks to make a more substantial comeback across the rest of the European territory by expanding the presence of its electric SUV, the Cadillac Lyriq (pictured), to additional markets such as France, Germany, and Sweden. The return of Cadillac’s parent company, GM, to the Old Continent, from which it had been absent since 2017 when it sold Opel and Vauxhall to the then PSA Group, began with online-only sales to test the market. However, alongside online sales, the company appears to be planning to open some showrooms, particularly in Paris.
“We have embarked on a new chapter for Cadillac here in Europe,” declared Jaclyn McQuaid, President and CEO of GM Europe, a few weeks ago during an event in Sweden. This week, the manager revisited the topic at the Parisian launch event of the Lyriq, which will be available for online ordering in France starting from March 23, 2024. On this occasion, McQuaid mentioned that she anticipates electric SUVs to remain the fastest-growing segment among zero-emission vehicles, especially in the luxury category: “When you look at the battery electric vehicle market in France, it’s the luxury market that has grown the most and is the focal point right now.”
The Cadillac Lyriq is an all-wheel-drive electric SUV measuring 499 cm in length, 197 cm in width, and 162 cm in height. The 100 kWh Ultium battery enables an estimated range of 530 km. The Ultium platform is particularly well-suited for driving in low temperatures, thanks to an energy recovery system that stores waste heat from the propulsion system. It can also recover and utilize moisture from both the interior and exterior of the car and capture the body heat of passengers. The recovery system also allows for quicker cabin heating. In Switzerland, the Lyriq is sold starting from 82,000 Swiss francs (approximately 86,000 euros), while prices for France have not yet been disclosed.
