General Motors (GM) is making a move to capture a larger share of China’s competitive electric vehicle (EV) market by introducing a new Cadillac electric SUV option. The upcoming model, named Cadillac Optiq, is expected to have a lower starting price compared to the previously released Lyriq.
GM filed the necessary documentation for the Cadillac Optiq with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The documents reveal that the new electric SUV will be smaller than the Lyriq, which was the company’s first all-electric vehicle in China. According to the MIIT catalog, the Optiq will have dimensions of 4,822 mm (15.8 ft) in length, 1,912 mm (6.2 ft) in width, and either 1,642 mm (5.4 ft) or 1,644 mm in height. It will feature a wheelbase of 2,915 mm (9.5 ft).
Compared to the Lyriq, which measures 4,996 mm (16.4 ft) in length, 2,207 mm (7.2 ft) in width, and 1,623 mm (5.3 ft) in height, with a wheelbase of 3,094 mm (10.1 ft), the Optiq will be slightly smaller.
To stay competitive in China’s EV market, Cadillac’s new electric SUV is expected to target a more affordable starting price. It will be available in two single-motor versions, offering maximum power outputs of either 150 kW or 180 kW. The Optiq’s battery packs will be sourced from a joint venture between China’s CATL and SAIC, GM’s partner in the region.
The production of the Cadillac Optiq is planned at SAIC-GM’s facility in Wuhan, China. This announcement follows GM’s recent decision to reduce the prices of the Lyriq EV in China. The price cuts were made in response to the growing competition from other EV manufacturers such as BYD, Tesla, and NIO, who have been gaining market share.
Earlier this year, Tesla initiated a wave of price cuts in China, prompting other automakers, including Cadillac, to follow suit. The original starting price of the Lyriq was 439,700 yuan ($60,730), which was reduced by nearly 14% to 379,700 yuan ($52,443) to attract more customers.
With the increasing number of new entrants and aggressive price reductions in China’s EV market, legacy automakers like Cadillac face significant pressure to remain competitive. Smaller and more affordable all-electric SUVs have become increasingly popular, as demonstrated by the success of models like the BYD Yuan Plus, priced at 134,000 yuan ($18,500), which offers a range of up to 510 km (317 miles).
While GM focuses on the Chinese market, there is speculation about when these EV models will be introduced in the United States. GM and its joint venture partners have unveiled several all-electric models and concepts that could make a significant impact in the US market. Buick has already launched two Ultium-based electric SUVs and teased a new design concept named “Proxima,” while Cadillac China prepares to release a smaller and more affordable electric SUV.
Given the demand for smaller, cost-effective Cadillac EVs, it is likely that such a model would find a market in the United States. GM has plans to introduce three Ultium-based EVs in the country by the end of the year, including the Silverado EV, Equinox EV, and Blazer EV.
