Cadillac just pulled the covers off the first ever all-electric Escalade, called the Escalade IQ. Reinventing an icon is no easy feat, but with this new Escalade EV, the automaker wants to prove that its flagship SUV will continue to be a staple of American luxury and design as it heads into the EV era.
Welcome to the future of Cadillac. Let’s see what the Escalade IQ is all about.
Power, Charging, and Range
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ will be built on its modular EV Ultium Platform and feature GM’s Ultifi software platform to supply over-the-air updates. This means it will be mechanically related to other Ultium-based GM EVs includingthe huge and feature-packed GMC Hummer EV.
Powering the Escalade IQ is a 24-module Ultium battery pack that produces more than 200 kWh of energy. It comes equipped with an 800-volt architecture that allows for fast charging at up to 350 kW; it can add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes. Cadillac estimates the Escalade IQ’s all-electric range will be around 450 miles or 724 kilometers, making it one ofthe longest-range EVs on the market.
In terms of power, the Escalade IQ will throw down 750 horsepower and a mountain-moving 785 lb-ft (1,064 Nm) of torque when a mode called Velocity Max is selected, making the sprint from nought to 60 mph happen in under 5 seconds. Otherwise, when not in this special high-power mode, the dual-motor all-wheel drive system, with one engine powering each axle, will provide a constant output of 680 horsepower and 615 lb-ft (834 Nm) of torque.
Escalade Design Reinterpreted
The Escalade IQ’s design exudes a familiar yet evolved design language. Its front is almost completely covered, and its profile is sleek (making it the most aerodynamic SUV that Cadillac has ever made), but it still retains its recognizable Escalade looks.
It rides on a 136.2-inch wheelbase with a total length of 224.3 inches, making it not only longer overall, but also giving it a considerably larger passenger compartment than the V8-powered Escalade. It is also wider than the ICE Escalade but not quite as tall, giving it a slightly lower, more swept-back look.
Cadillac says it’s pushed the massive 24-inch wheels further towards the corners of the vehicle to enhance its road presence and interior room. The classic long hood (which is no longer needed as there’s no V8 under there, so it’s just a design homage) leads to a sportier, dramatically sloping roofline that gives the Escalade IQ’s rear a much sportier and more athletic look.
Two trim levels will be available: Luxury and Sport. Cadillac says the Luxury trim is accented with brushed aluminum metallic finishes on the wheels and exterior moldings, while the Sport trim gets darkened metal finishes instead.
Ultramodern Interior Design
Inside the 2025 Escalade IQ, a 55-inch curved pillar-to-pillar LED display array dominates the dashboard space. You interact with the vehicle exclusively via 12.6-inch touchscreens, one that replaces all the buttons on the center stack and another that allows rear passengers to adjust various settings.
Moving around the cabin, metal, leather, and other premium materials make the electric Escalade feel every bit as luxurious as the fanciest of modern Cadillacs. The manufacturer says it wanted to imbue the vehicle with a more futuristic character to set it apart from its combustion vehicles.
Cadillac will offer the Escalade IQ with a power-folding third row, which allows the vehicle to carry up to seven occupants.
Capability
Those Escalade IQ buyers who want to tow with their new electric SUV will be happy to learn it has a maximum tow rating of 8,000 pounds. That puts it slightly ahead of the similar but moreoff-road-oriented Rivian R1S, which can tow 300 pounds less.
Ground clearance is slightly lower compared to the combustion Escalade, dropping from 8 inches to 6.9 inches in the EV. Adaptive air suspension will allow you to drop the vehicle by 2 inches or raise it by 1 inch, giving it additional versatility for driving both on and off-road.
Interestingly, even though the Escalade IQ has a longer wheelbase than the combustion model, the two vehicles' turning circles are nearly identical. This is because the IQ comes with standard rear-wheel steering, which the manufacturer says helps cut the turning circle radius by 6.5 feet.
Technology
Cadillac’s Super Cruiseadvanced driver assistance systemwill allow the Escalade IQ to drive itself in certain scenarios. This is one of the most advanced autonomous driving suites on the market, allowing the vehicle to not only drive without driver intervention but also make unassisted lane changes when the situation calls for it.
As standard, the vehicle will come with a 19-speaker sound system, which can be upgraded to an AKG Studio Reference 40-speaker array if you opt for the Executive Second Row package. The excellent acoustic experience goes well with the 126-color ambient lighting system, which not only has illumination in between some of the interior panels, but also through the panels themselves, creating what Cadillac describes as “a warm, inviting glow.”
The Cadillac Escalade IQ Has Huge Potential
Given the global success of the Escalade nameplate as well as the looks and capability of the new electric model, the Escalade IQ has the potential to become one of the most popular large electric SUVs ever.
Production begins in the summer of 2024 at GM’s Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center in Michigan. Pricing will be announced closer to its launch, but it should start around $130,000, or around $50,000 more than the base combustion model. It’s not quite as expensive as the Celestiq flagship, but it’s still far from being affordable.
