While the United States deals with electrification and new emissions regulations, other countries are facing recent changes in the automotive industry.
China has reached the first milestone in introducing Cadillac’s new electric vehicles to their market this week – 2023 Lyriqs are finally shipping out to dealers across the country after months of waiting.
Is this the beginning of the same changes that America is currently facing, or is it just a new opportunity for China? And what kind of car is the 2023 all-electric Cadillac Lyriq – how does it differ from previous American and Chinese vehicles?
Cadillac Lyriq Ships Out on Schedule
General Motors officially announced and began taking orders for the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq in June 2022. By cooperating with SAIC Motor Corp, GM was able to start distributing them to pre-order customers and Cadillac dealers near Shanghai on September 28th. GM said that customers nearest to the Cadillac Jinqiao plant the Lyriq is being shipped from should receive their vehicles this week.
The first units of the Lyriq were initially set to ship out before the last week of September, but the slight delay has been no cause for concern on the automaker’s part. In fact, it gave the company the chance to fully showcase what makes the Lyriq special to the Chinese automotive market before it officially hits Cadillac dealer’s lots.
Cadillac’s First All-Electric Crossover: Lyriq’s Features and Design
The first Lyriqs to hit China are rear-wheel-drives with two trim levels – Luxury and Prestige. Reports say that an all-wheel-drive version of the Prestige could be available from Cadillac dealers as early as December 2022.
The RWD crossovers are two-toned, sporting a black roof and white, grey, latte, red wine, and blue body color options. They have an Ultium Drive engine and an Ultium battery pack that provides a horsepower of 342 and a driving range of 312 miles.
The AWD Prestige is said to be a variant that will be higher-performing than the RWD models, but there’s little information on it right now.
The estimated sale price for the Lyriq ranges from $61,000 (439,000 CNY) for the Luxury trim to $66,000 (479,000 CNY) for the unreleased Prestige AWD. Prices are based on the current exchange rate and could change for the AWD when it reaches the market.
GM’s Plans for an Electric Future in Asia
GM’s plans for an all-electric future come as no surprise to anyone who’s seen the recent news about the automaker, but the Lyriq is the first vehicle entering the Chinese automotive market to use their Ultium electric propulsion technology.
This means that GM is finally testing its electric plans in the world’s biggest market while introducing a more refined, technology-focused Cadillac brand. On top of that, Cadillac dealers have introduced a new direct sale system with stores specifically designed to market electric vehicles in China.
GM and the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq are changing the automotive market in Asia this week, and only time will tell how well-received this will be.
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