Seems appropriate if true…
As General Motors pushes toward electrification with Cadillac at the tip of the spear, the Escalade apparently will be the last model line to ditch internal combustion engines. And with the Cadillac Lyriq revealed in part by the automaker, many people are excitedly chattering about the decreed future of the brand. We find it appropriate that it will reportedly be the Escalade to finalize the use of gasoline for Cadillacs, and not just for the obvious reasons.
Meanwhile, Toyota has sounded the alarm about rushing into vehicle electrification. Read why here.
The initial announcement that Cadillac was going all electric was made by GM back in 2019 that by 2030 all new Cadillacs would be fully-electric. Considering most EVs are purchased by well-off if not wealthy individuals, it makes strategic sense to use the luxury brand to forge ahead. Many media outlets have praised GM for the strong, brave stance even though the company hadn’t many any significant headway. This is, after all, the era of participation trophies.
For those who don’t have a great memory of perhaps weren’t reading the news at that age, the Escalade was one of the turnaround vehicles for the Cadillac brand. When it first debuted for 1999 it was little more than a warmed-over GMC Yukon. But when Cadillac applied its new, edgier design language to the SUV for the 2003 model year, it soon became beloved among soccer moms and rappers alike. A symbol of unbridled American opulence, many environmental groups decried its very existence.
Funny enough, the Hummer brand was also squarely in the sights of environmentalists at the same time. Now that the Hummer nameplate is returning as an all-electric GMC truck, the signal is clear: GM is turning over a new leaf.
At least, that’s how it seems. Whether Cadillac will be able to successfully get off the dino juice by 2030 remains to be seen. Any number of factors could make that impractical or imprudent, including a global shortage of microchips, but for now GM seems determined to make it happen.
Electrifying big trucks so far has proven problematic for automakers. Even Toyota, which has released hybrid versions of virtually every model line, has yet to launch a hybrid Tacoma, Sequoia, 4Runner, or Tundra.
It’s worth noting the Escalade has been and continues to be a big cash cow for Cadillac. Attempts have been made to cancel it, but the financial contribution it makes to the brand is undeniable. That might be why Cadillac is willing to experiment on other vehicle lines before it tampers with such a successful and key formula.
However, Cadillac has been working on an EV version of the Escalade, set to launch in 2023. It will be built in the same Factory Zero plant as the new GMC Hummer and the Chevy Silverado EV. Likely, the success or failure of the venture will affect how Cadillac proceeds.
With nostalgia being one of the biggest drivers of value among collectible cars, the pending switchover to all-electric Cadillac Escalades should make the gasoline-powered models of today more sought after. We don’t usually talk about the collectible nature of the big luxury SUV, but that might be changing.
Source: Automotive News
