If there’s one thing you can do with electric motors it’s make gobs of horsepower and torque. And Cadillac plans to take advantage of that by introducing its first all-electric V-Series model, the 2026 Caddy Lyriq-V. But it’s safe to say it won’t be the brand’s last battery-powered performance package.
The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V will add exterior aero features, like other V-Series models, including the rear wing seen here.
Cadillac will add a new high-performance version of its original battery-electric vehicle, the Lyriq, in 2026. That will mark the debut of the first Caddy EV to wear a V-Series badge.
But it’s not going to be the last, several insiders told Headlight.News, with parent General Motors expected to increase emphasis on the performance capabilities of electric drivetrains across its line-up.
“The LYRIQ-V is a truly remarkable representation of the luxury, performance and innovation prowess that are the foundations of the Cadillac brand,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “The Cadillac portfolio is even greater with our newest addition.”
“Instantaneous acceleration”
Aerodynamics are a critical part of the design – but so is lighting.
This marks the 20th anniversary of Cadillac’s V-Series which initially debuted as a version of the old CTS sedan. It’s now available on a wide variety of Caddy products, including the flagship Escalade SUV. Brand insiders have been hinting that they’d next add electrified versions.
We got a first hint of what might be in store back in August when Cadillac rolled out the Opulent Velocity concept. Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of Global Cadillac Design, described it as a “future vision of luxury performance.”
While the Lyriq-V won’t be quite as exotic as the Caddy show car, it will make use of what Caddy notes is the “instantaneous acceleration” offered by electric motors – which develop maximum tire-spinning torque the moment they start spinning.
What we know
Cadillac isn’t saying much about the Lyriq-V beyond noting it will feature “exceptional performance, instantaneous acceleration, competitive range, and standard all-wheel drive.” It also will be offered in both left- and right-hand-drive and targeted initially at the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
A 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V prototype on track.
“More markets will be announced at a later date,” the automaker said.
V-Series models are more than just muscle cars. They come as complete packages that include extensive interior and exterior upgrades. That includes some new creature comforts but the emphasis is on performance, such as the aero packaging seen in these shots.
As for performance, expect a solid upgrade from what is currently available from the Lyriq line-up. The base package features a single motor mustering 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet, sending that through a single-speed gearbox to the rear wheels. The twin-motor all-wheel-drive setup bumps that 500 hp and 450 lb-ft.
According to various sources, the Lyriq-V will take the numbers up anywhere from 560 to nearly 600 hp. But, considering just the current competition, might that be enough?
More Cadillac News
- The 2024 Cadillac XT4 Isn’t Just a Baby Escalade
- Cadillac Teases its 5th EV, the Vistiq
- Caddy Still Wants a Hypercar – Will GM Give it the Green Light?
A close-up of the 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V’s steering wheel.
How high could Lyriq-V go?
Insiders hint that the Lyriq-V will be one of, if not the, most powerful street-legal product the brand has ever offered. Currently, that title belongs to the Cadillac CT-5 Blackwing with its 6.2-liter supercharged V-8. It punches out 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. With a manual transmission it is officially rated at 3.4 seconds 0-60.
But, in the world of battery power, those are relatively mundane numbers. The more plebian Hyundai Ioniq 5 N makes 641 hp and 561 lb-ft in “N Grin Boost” mode and matches the CT-5 Blackwing’s launch times. Various versions of the Lucid Air reach up to 1,000 ponies and that sedan, like the Tesla Model S with Plaid mode, can hit 60 in barely 2 seconds.
While it’s unlikely Caddy will try to match the more expensive Air – or the new Lucid Gravity coming next year, for that matter – it likely won’t want to be blown out of the water by a kid in an Ioniq 5 N. So, we’ll have to wait to see just how far its engineering team will take things. But one thing to be aware of: horsepower and torque numbers aren’t quite apples-to-apples when comparing internal combustion engines and electric drive technology because of that instant torque EVs deliver.
What’s next?
The Cadillac Celestiq could get the V-Series treatment at some point.
What we can be absolutely sure of is that Cadillac will add still more all-electric V-Series models, Headlight.News has been told.
The automaker is rolling out the $300,000 Celestiq. And though it is positioned as a low-volume grand tourer it seems hard to imagine Caddy won’t add a V- package at some point. The automaker has already announced several other all-electric models, including the Vistiq and Optiq, which could all get performance packages at some point.
More broadly, parent General Motors is adding performance options to other brands’ EVs, such as the Chevrolet Blazer SS, the GMC Hummer EV and the all-electric versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. It’s also confirmed that a fully electric version of the Chevrolet Corvette is in the works, though it’s unclear when that will make it into production.
0 Comments